Online Creator Brand Framework
"The best advertising you can have is a loyal customer spreading the word about how incredible your business is"~Shep HykenAs a creative professional, you probably understand the importance of producing great work, but many of us overlook a critical component in today’s digital landscape: the customer journey. Your brand is more than just your output—it’s an experience you craft for others, from the moment they first encounter your work to the point where they become loyal fans or clients. Building this journey takes careful planning and thoughtful execution, and it’s something I’ve personally refined over the last few months to grow my own creative business.
This isn’t just theory. I’ve tested these strategies and have seen firsthand how creating specific touchpoints can transform a sporadic online presence into a well-oiled machine that draws in clients, sustains business, and creates meaningful connections with an audience. In this post, I’m going to break down each step of the customer journey as it applies to creatives like us—illustrators, 3D artists, designers, filmmakers—and show you how you can do the same to build a brand that lasts.
Top of the Funnel: Capturing Attention
The first stage of the customer journey is simple: get noticed. But it’s not as easy as it sounds. So many creatives I’ve seen fall into the trap of posting sporadically on social media, hoping that the work will speak for itself. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work like that anymore. If you’re serious about growing your creative business, you have to be deliberate about how you’re showing up online.
For me, Instagram has been the primary platform for this. It’s where I plant the seed, where I capture the attention of people who might eventually become clients. I post 2-3 reels each week. Some are client projects (when the NDA allows), but most are personal projects I’ve created just to keep my audience engaged and to show that I’m always working on something new.
These short-form videos act as what I like to call "eye candy." They’re not meant to tell the full story of what I do but to spark curiosity. A 15-second reel is not enough to communicate the depth of your expertise, but it’s enough to show people that you exist. It’s a hook. Think of it as the top layer of your brand—people see something cool, they like it, and maybe they follow you. That’s step one. But what happens after that? This is where most creatives miss out on huge opportunities.
The Value Layer: Giving People a Reason to Stick Around
Once you’ve caught someone’s attention, you need to give them a reason to stick around. If Instagram is the top of the funnel, the next layer is where you start to deliver real value. This is the phase where people are no longer just scrolling past your content—they’re starting to engage. They want to know more about you and what you do. The way I do this is through my YouTube channel.
On YouTube, I take my content to a deeper level. While Instagram serves as the quick hit of inspiration, YouTube is where I break down the process behind my work, explain how I achieved certain effects, or showcase behind-the-scenes footage from projects. Some of these videos perform exceptionally well—30,000 to 40,000 views on some—but the views aren’t always the point. What matters here is building authority. By offering something of substance, I’m positioning myself as an expert in my field, and more importantly, I’m giving people the opportunity to connect with me in a deeper way.
What’s great about YouTube content is its longevity. Unlike Instagram, where posts quickly get buried in the endless scroll, YouTube videos have the potential to be rediscovered months, even years, later. This is how you play the long game in content creation. Some videos will resonate more than others, but the key is to stay consistent and offer genuine value.
Building Deeper Connections: The Core of Your Brand
At this point, you’ve got people’s attention. They’ve moved from Instagram to YouTube and have seen the substance behind the flashy visuals. But there’s still another layer that many creatives overlook. This is the core of your brand—the personal connection.
For me, this comes in the form of my blog and email newsletter. These are spaces where I can be more vulnerable and share my personal experiences, thoughts, and reflections on the creative journey. I’ve written about 50 articles over the past year, and each one allows me to connect with my audience on a much deeper level than I can on social media or YouTube.
Why is this important? Because people buy from people. At the end of the day, your clients want to work with you because they feel a personal connection. They resonate with the way you see the world or how you approach your craft. That’s what turns casual viewers into lifelong fans or clients. The more transparent you are, the easier it is for people to align themselves with your brand.
I can’t stress enough how valuable it is to have a space that’s entirely yours. Social media platforms are great, but they’re not in your control. What happens if Instagram or YouTube disappears tomorrow? With a blog or newsletter, you have a direct line to your audience that can’t be taken away. It’s an investment in the long-term sustainability of your brand.
Creating Touchpoints: How to Make It All Work Together
Now, let’s talk about how these elements work together to create a cohesive customer journey. At the core, your job as a creative is to build different touchpoints that allow people to engage with you at various levels of depth. Each touchpoint—from Instagram reels to YouTube videos to blog posts—should offer something unique, but they all need to connect back to the heart of your brand.
When someone first encounters your work on Instagram, they might only see a snippet of what you do. But as they follow you to YouTube, they begin to understand more about your process and your expertise. Then, if they read your blog or subscribe to your newsletter, they start to see the person behind the work.
This layered approach not only helps you build authority and trust but also creates a community of people who truly align with your vision. These are the people who will stick around for the long haul, whether they become clients or simply fans of your work.
Why This Approach Works
Here’s the key takeaway: people buy from people. If you’re building a brand around your creative work, you need to remember that your audience isn’t just buying your skills—they’re buying into your vision, your personality, and your unique way of seeing the world. The more layers you can offer, the easier it becomes for people to connect with you on a personal level.
What I’ve learned through this process is that there’s no need for cold outreach, no need to constantly hustle for clients. By building these touchpoints and creating a brand that feels authentic and intentional, clients will come to you. That doesn’t mean you should sit back and wait, but it does mean you can focus on creating meaningful content rather than chasing down leads.
This is what has worked for me over the past few months. I don’t do cold calling or door-knocking. Instead, I focus on consistently creating at every level—from short Instagram reels to longer YouTube content to in-depth blog posts. And it’s paying off.
Final Thoughts
If you want to build a creative business that lasts, you need to think beyond the work itself. You need to build a brand that resonates with people on multiple levels. Crafting a customer journey is about more than just marketing tactics—it’s about creating meaningful connections at every step of the way.
By offering different layers of engagement—eye candy on Instagram, valuable insights on YouTube, and personal reflections on your blog—you can create a brand experience that draws people in and keeps them coming back. And when people align with who you are and what you stand for, they’ll become not just clients, but lifelong fans.
If this approach resonates with you, I encourage you to start implementing these strategies in your own creative practice. Focus on creating touchpoints that offer value, build trust, and showcase who you are as an artist. It’s a long game, but if you stay consistent and true to your vision, the results will come.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions.
Keep creating, stay intentional, and remember— people buy from people.
-P
If you’re more of a visual learner, I created this video breakdown that explains the same concept: