How to stay authentic while promoting your premium social content
There’s always that one person… The minute you start promoting your paid content, someone out there will shout, “You’ve changed!”. It’s inevitable, so don’t take it personally.
It’s also somewhat true… Why? Because you’ve decided to start treating your work like a business, or you’re further ahead in the journey, and you’re taking your business to the next level. Either way, promoting doesn’t mean you have to sound like a TV discount ad, compromising your tone, or posting things that don’t feel like you.
Being you is what brought you here, it’s your biggest selling point. Now, let’s dive into how to keep it intact while building and growing a content business that actually pays.
The importance of persona branding in ads
Whatever the content you’re putting out there, it has a specific tone which can go from funny to alluring, rhythm (upbeat or more laidback), and vibe (modern, retro, and everything in between). All that, combined with some other elements, makes up your brand.
Your ads need to match that. If your usual posts are on the subtle, tempting side, your promo posts shouldn’t sound ironic or funny. It’s not like a comic took over your feed; it’s still you (even if you have someone managing this part of the business). So, make sure you maintain the language, colors, and energy consistent throughout your posts, no matter whether their promos or not. Even in the CTA. Consider storytelling formats over hard sells like “Why I made this”, or “Behind-the-scenes of building this drop”.
And remember this: If your promo post feels like someone else wrote it, your audience will scroll right past.
Balancing mystery and transparency in content creation
It’s important to give people just enough to keep them wanting more. Try dropping hints without overexplaining (ex, “this one’s not for the feed”) so they know what they’re getting with phrases like “full voice note,” “unedited BTS,” “fan-only Q&A”.
What’s important to be clear about is:
What’s behind the paywall. Make sure they understand what they’re buying, so you don’t get any unhappy customers afterward.
Why it’s premium. Is it exclusive? Is it something you’ve never done before?
How it adds value. Will they learn something? Will they see something they’ve never seen before?
Don’t over-hype or under-share. Just build curiosity with clarity.
How to use testimonials to build trust (and avoid tooting your own horn)
Wouldn’t it be great if ads saying “People love this!” would make your fans automatically think, “Oh, that sounds good, I have to try it!”? How easy would life be then!?
The good news is that it can still work! If you add screenshots, poll results, or re-posted reviews, that is. You need to show that people actually liked your content, not just say it. Include testimonials in any form possible. Bonus points if they highlight:
Emotional impact - Ex: “This made my day”
Unexpected value - Ex: “Worth every cent”
Specifics - Ex: “The video was fire, but the extras were even better”.
Let your fans do the talking. It will sound way more authentic coming from them.
Ads that are natural and authentic (complete with examples)
Always remember that the best ads don’t look like ads, but rather like:
A voice note thanking your fans and teasing your next content drop.
A selfie caption that says, “This post unlocked the full set. Link’s in bio”.
A story showing the making of your paid content.
A casual tweet: “Honestly, this one’s for my VIPs. It goes live tomorrow.”
Consider this angle: layer your promo posts into your regular rhythm, don’t break it.
Managing criticism or stigma around promoting
No matter what you do, there will always be judgment around promoting your content, especially if you’ve only given out your content for free up until now.
People will say things like “Why is this behind a paywall now!?”, “You used to post more for free!”, or “wow, you’re really trying to monetize everything now…”.
Here’s what to do:
Be upfront - with responses like “This is how I support my work, and keep creating.”
Don’t defend, explain - “Some content will always be free. But premium gives me the time/space to go deeper.”
Stick to your values - If your premium offer is good and aligned with your brand, you don’t owe anyone an apology.
Selling your content doesn’t make you less authentic. What’s important is how you do it. Keep your tone, ditch the shame. Prompt your premium work the same way you built your community: with consistency, personality, and actual value.
And if you need more traffic to your content or your ads, let’s talk.
