Episode 6: How to Actually Show Up on Instagram When You're a One-Person Brand
Let's talk about the question I get more than almost any other from clients: what do I post on Instagram? And right after that — how do I actually create that content when it's just me?
I know this topic is triggering for a lot of you. Showing up on Instagram when you're running the whole business yourself can feel overwhelming, uncomfortable, and honestly a bit scary. I've been there. When I started my brand Encircled, I genuinely didn't even like having my photograph taken. So if that's where you are right now, I get it — and this episode is specifically for you.
In this episode I'm sharing six practical approaches to creating Instagram content as a one-person brand, so you can stop overthinking it and start showing up in a way that actually feels manageable.
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What I Cover in This Episode:
1. You On Camera The most authentic — and free — content you can create. I share how I got over my fear of being on camera, why messy and real often outperforms polished, and my top practical tips for filming yourself including lighting, backdrops, and why multiple takes are your best friend. Right now, Instagram heavily favours Reels, and nothing builds trust with your audience faster than seeing the real person behind the brand.
2. You Behind the Camera If you'd rather keep your face out of it, this one's for you. Behind-the-scenes content — packaging orders, showing how you make your product, close-up product shots — can perform incredibly well. Big brands almost never do this because they don't even know where their products are made. That's your secret advantage as a small, ethical brand.
3. Hire a Local Content Creator Bringing in someone local to shoot and edit content for you is one of the highest-leverage moves you can make. The easiest setups I've had are when I'm directing the content strategy and a skilled editor is handling the production. Don't underestimate the difference good editing makes.
4A. Gifted Influencers Gifting influencers with your product in exchange for content is lower risk but comes with real limitations — in my experience, only around 20% actually post anything beyond a story. I share how to approach gifting strategically, what to look for, and how to use it as a testing ground before committing to paid partnerships.
4B. Paid Influencers I actually prefer hiring influencers on a retainer rather than one-off engagements — you get far more consistency, and if influencers are top of funnel, you need repetition to make an impression. I break down what to look for in a micro influencer, why you need to dig into their analytics before paying, and how to structure a partnership that actually makes sense for a small brand.
5. Hire a Social Media Manager This is the path to getting yourself out of content creation entirely — but it comes with a cost. I share what to look for, why the best entry-level hire is often someone who can do a little of everything, and why at some point, trying to do it all yourself will cap your growth.
6. Graphic Content — Carousels and Statics Not every post needs to be a Reel. Well-designed carousels and static posts can drive strong engagement with your existing audience, and if you nail the angle, they can reach new people too. I've had posts on topics like fast fashion hit 50,000–200,000 views. The key is finding the shareable angle within your niche.
Key Takeaways:
- You don't have to do all six approaches — pick one, be consistent, and measure what's actually happening in your analytics
- Authentic, imperfect content often outperforms polished content — I've seen it firsthand
- Switch to a professional Instagram account so you can actually see what's working
- Stop posting about your product — post about the benefit of your product and the lifestyle it creates
- Big brands can't show behind the scenes. You can. That's your edge.
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