What Brand Elements You Need to Show Up on Instagram →
Skip the 75-Page Brand Guide. This Is What Helps You Show Up Online.
Let me save you from the Canva spiral.
If you've ever downloaded a 100-pack of Instagram templates, picked two fonts you thought were “clean and modern,” then never used any of it again… welcome.
You're not the problem. The branding industry is.
And I say that as a designer.
(Hear more on Ep.29 of The Point of the Story Podcast with Sara Noel of BTL Copy)
So What Do You Actually Need to Build a Cohesive Brand?
Not much.
Especially if you're building a personal brand or growing a business primarily through social media. You need just enough structure to stay consistent — not so much that it overwhelms you out of posting altogether.
Here’s my “Eldest Daughter” take on what matters most:
Your Essential Brand Elements Checklist
01. One Ride-or-Die Font + 1–2 Accent Fonts
If you’re spending 20 minutes picking fonts for every carousel slide… it’s too many fonts. Choose one hero font for 90% of your visuals. Add an accent if you need some flair. Call it a day.
02. A Simple, Reusable Carousel Template
Forget the 84-slide pack. You only need one FREE carousel template that feels like you. Something you can use week after week that blends in with your content style — not a full-blown rebrand every time you post.
03. 4-6 Core Brand Colors
These are your visual guardrails. The shades you use across IG Stories, sales pages, freebies, and email graphics. If it’s not one of your brand colors, don’t touch it.
04. Consistent Content Corners
You don’t need a fully aesthetic house — just a few corners you can count on. I have my mirror for selfies. My Kindle on the bed. The dining room table next to the fiddle leaf fig. These help you show up even on the chaotic days. (My garage gym? A mess. Never the vibe.)
05. A Vibe That’s You — Not Pinterest Perfect
The best-performing brands online are not the most curated — they’re the most consistent. Your ugly office? Your kids’ toys in the background? Your rat's nest bun? That can be your brand. It just has to be repeated enough to be recognizable.
You Don’t Need to Be Aesthetic. You Need to Be Consistent.
If you take one thing from this post, let it be this:
Pick your tools and use them often.
Branding is a tool for recognition, not perfection. When someone lands on your story, they should know it’s you — not because you’re polished, but because your visuals, tone, and presence all say:
“She’s back. I know her.”
And if that means you're posting from the same corner of your kitchen in the same oversized hoodie with the same fonts and same tone of voice? Even better.
It’s not about variety. It’s about trust.
What Actually Builds Trust Online
You know what I remember about my favorite online creators?
Not their logos.
I remember their tone of voice. Their 2 p.m. Diet Coke break. The way they show up on Stories, even when their house is messy and they’re eating “girl dinner” over the sink.
I remember the feeling of their brand. Not the font file.
And that’s the shift —
We’re not building corporate brands.
We’re building personal ones.
So if you’ve been holding back on your business because you’re waiting on a logo?
Permission to post without one.
Your brand is already working when someone lands on your page and says:
“Oh, she’s for me.”
Questions to Audit Your Brand and Instagram Feed Today:
Can someone land on my feed and understand my offer within 5 seconds?
Is my call to action direct, visible, and easy to follow?
Have I set clear expectations for what my discovery call is (and isn’t)?
Do I share pricing early enough to weed out bad fits?
Do I have an email or booking sequence that keeps my boundaries intact?
If you answered “hmm… not really” to any of those—it’s time to tighten up your intake flow.
Need to Start Booking Clients Before You Have a Full Website?
You don’t need to wait for the perfect website to start running a real business. Start here:
→ Grab my FREE Link in Bio Showit Page – a plug-and-play one-pager that helps you get discovered, capture leads, and share your offers while you build out the rest of your site. It’s beautiful, mobile-friendly, and built to convert.
→ or Setup a FREE Flodesk Link in Bio – Capture subscribers right from your social media profile · Design yours in under five minutes · The world's easiest editor · Branded, fully customizable link. Get 50% Off a year here.
→ or Try HoneyBook – my favorite client booking and management tool. You can use it to create your intake forms, automate follow-ups, and even send branded contracts and invoices. Click here to get 30% off your first year.
Let’s be honest: most of us are growing our businesses during nap time, snack time, or the 15 minutes of silence after bedtime. These tools let you look legit and book clients now—no full website required.
You don’t need to do it all at once.
You just need to take the next best step.
→ Download the FREE Link in Bio Page
→ Start your free HoneyBook trial
Ready to Get Up Your Website—Fast?
I created the Eldest Daughter Showit Website Templates to help CEO moms like you finally have a website that looks amazing and works hard for your business.
→ No stress.
→ No tech headaches.
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These girls are efficient AF - delivering all the pages you need, and none of the fluff you don’t. Supporting you through the toughest times: writing copy and choosing images, so you can make the most of each crucial naptime work sesh.
Click here to shop the templates now and say goodbye to website shame—for good.
The Hey, Sleepy Baby Eldest Daughter Collab Template
Grab your FREE Showit Link in Bio Page Set →
A completely (and quickly) customizable, high-converting Showit Page Duo to make your brand look professional, legit, and ready for clients, all from one link. If you’re running a business from your phone, you need one simple page that makes it easy for people to book you, buy from you, or connect with you—without the overwhelm of building a full website (yet).
Ready to finally go all-in on your brand and web?
Let’s do it!
I’ve developed lots of brand support options just for you. No matter what part of the branding journey you’re in, we should find a fit. From Brands-in-a-Day to Web and Social Media Design, I work in lightning-fast turn around to get you out the door and on your way to being your industry’s Go-To Girlie.
