Imposter syndrome is feeling like you don’t ‘deserve’ to write articles or Tweet or create videos or other content about a certain topic. It affects everyone. But as long as you are speaking honestly from a truthful place no one can tell you what you should or shouldn’t talk about.
All of us tend to get imposter syndrome to some degree or other—particularly when we start out building a personal brand. After all, what makes anyone an ‘expert’? Qualifications? Perhaps. Having a job in a particular industry? Maybe. Long experience? Better.
Even people who are highly qualified on a topic can sometimes feel reticent to speaking publicly about it in case they’re ‘found out’, or someone else more knowledgeable shows them up as having been incorrect.
In a court of law this is a problem. But when we’re talking about you creating your own personal brand, it is not.
Why? Because everyone has the right to talk about whatever they like online
(Within the bounds of the law, of course.)
So, say you want to create a personal brand where you talk about vlogging – but you’ve never made a vlog in your life.
Can’t be done?
Of course it can. It’s all down to the focus of your content. In that particular case you could talk about how it is to be a brand-new vlogger. You could share your failures and your early successes. Be upfront about the things you’ve messed up and the things that went well.
When approached from this angle, your lack of expertise becomes not merely irrelevant, but an actual feature of what you create.
Other people who are at a similar stage to you will be drawn to your content. They will appreciate your candour and your authenticity. And they will be inspired, and may learn something at the same time.
In addition, they will—if you’re creating high-quality content—be entertained by you. And if you read my Twitter feed yesterday you may have seen me talking about the primary requirement of an online brand: that it is entertaining in some way.
As I said at the top, as long as you’re being honest, and not pretending to be some kind of advanced expert when you’re not, then you are fully within your rights to create content about whatever you want.
If anyone challenges you, and says you don’t have the right credentials,disregard them. Or, if you really want to respond, thank them for their input but tell them that they are clearly not within your target market.
And then carry on putting out great content.
Problem solved. Soon enough the right audience will find you. And when they do, as long as you continue to entertain and inform, you will begin to enjoy the considerable financial and personal benefits that having your own online business brings.
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