How to Build a Personal Brand Without Being Cringe

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So you wanna build a personal brand…

Cool. But first—no one wants another try-hard thought leader yelling into the void with recycled GaryVee quotes and “Rise and grind 🧠💼💪” captions.

If you’re a dev, founder, designer, writer, or honestly just someone with something to say, this article is your crash course on how to build a personal brand without sounding like a corporate chatbot. You’ll get real steps, real examples, and some do’s and don’ts I wish more people followed.

Let’s build your brand like a human.

🚨 Step 1: Stop Thinking “Brand.” Start Thinking You.

“Personal brand” sounds fake already. You’re not a shampoo bottle. You’re a person.

Instead of building a façade, think of it as curating your thoughts, values, and projects in public.

What do you believe? What do you work on? What are you learning? What do you keep obsessing over when no one’s watching?

Start sharing that.

🔍 Step 2: Pick a Niche (But Don’t Be a Niche Robot)

Yes, picking a niche helps. But don’t let it choke the life out of your posts.

Maybe you’re a web dev. Cool. You can post about code 60% of the time. But that other 40%? Talk about stuff you’re into — philosophy, building a startup, that time you rage quit a job, the weirdest feedback a client gave you. Show range.

People follow people. Not niches.

📍 Step 3: Pick Your Posting Ground

Here’s the breakdown:

LinkedIn if you want reach + tech/creator crowd
Twitter/Bluesky if you like jokes, hot takes, internet-native vibes
Instagram if your work is visual
Newsletter if you’ve got long thoughts
YouTube if you can talk without dying inside

Pick 1–2. Show up consistently. No need to be everywhere.

🧠 Step 4: Know What to Say

Here’s a non-cringe content menu:

Stuff you’ve learned (from wins, fails, books, convos)
Your POV on something trending or niche
Breakdowns of your work (how you did X, why it worked)
Spicy takes (mildly controversial but thoughtful)
Your progress (people love the “building in public” stuff)
Weird insights you can’t stop thinking about

And sometimes just… say something simple and real. “This week kicked my ass” can get more traction than a 20-tweet strategy thread.

😬 What Not to Do

❌ Don’t try to sound smart. Be clear, not clever.
❌ Don’t post fake vulnerability just for likes. We can smell it.
❌ Don’t “provide value” in every post. You’re not a vending machine.
❌ Don’t steal other people’s ideas and just remix them with emojis. It’s giving LinkedIn Bro.

🔧 Pro Tips That Actually Work

Create content in convos: Tweet replies, DMs, comments — that’s where half my posts come from. If you’ve said something smart once, just copy-paste it and post it. Boom.
Keep a “spicy” doc: Every time you think something spicy or odd or interesting, jot it down. That’s your gold mine.
Write like a friend texting you: No one reads stiff content anymore. Drop the corporate tone.
Mix in beliefs: You don’t have to be political or preachy. Just show you’ve got a spine. Share small things that hint at your worldview.

💡 Content Ideas You Can Steal Today

“What I thought [my industry] would be like vs what it actually is”
“Why I stopped doing [dumb thing everyone else still does]”
“3 things I learned from failing at [insert thing]”
“Here’s how I would start [your career] from scratch in 2025”
“This dumb habit made me way more productive”
“Hot take: [your spicy opinion] (but I’m open to being wrong)”

🏁 TL;DR: You’re a Whole-Ass Person

The key to building a personal brand isn’t pretending to be something. It’s being yourself, but louder.

Don’t be a cringe LinkedIn bro. Be someone people want to root for.

Be smart. Be chill. Be weird. Be helpful.

That’s how to build a personal brand people actually care about.