Hey Brands: Get Ridiculously Human

“I will absolutely NOT post that photo of me.”

That was my knee-jerk response when I was told to turn a casual photo — me, holding a cigar on a boat while fishing — into a LinkedIn post.

It felt scary. Too personal. Not polished enough.

My heart rate spiked. My palms got sweaty.
Fear.
Anxiety.
But also… curiosity.

I posted it anyway.

That single image received more than 5x the reach of my more “professional” posts. But what mattered most wasn’t the vanity metrics — it was the response. 

Comments started stacking up and saying things like:

“I didn't know you but this pic made me check out your profile and follow you.” 

“I love it. When people are comfortable showing their true selves, that’s when I’m even more intrigued to talk to them.”

“I'm probably more likely to work with someone edgy and comfortable being that way publicly.” 

It wasn’t the image. It was the honesty. The permission. The humanness.

Since starting my personal brand on LinkedIn just six months ago, I’ve grown to over 7,000 followers, nearly 1,300 newsletter subscribers, and rank in the top 5% of all U.S.-based content creators on the platform.

These aren’t just content metrics. They’re connection metrics. They represent resonance, recognition, and real relationship-building.

And here’s the point: this isn’t just about personal brands.

Corporate brands can — and should — build the same kind of human connection. Because a brand, at its core, is a relationship. Whether it’s one person showing up or an entire company, the psychology doesn’t change.

The same emotional drivers that fuel community around individuals — authenticity, trust, identity reflection, safety — are the ones that create brand loyalty and business growth.

In my work with companies navigating AI saturation, shrinking trust, and customer detachment, one thing has become clear: brands that feel human — clear, consistent, values-driven — are the ones building real equity right now.

When I show clients these personal metrics, I’m not asking them to care about follower counts. I’m drawing the straight line to what they do care about:

• Brand trust

• Share of voice

• Lead quality

• Conversion velocity

• Customer lifetime value
  
  

Because when your brand shows up like a person — grounded, imperfect, human — your KPIs reflect it.

This article breaks down exactly how to get ridiculously human as a brand — not through more content, but through more humanity.

A Scroll-Stopping Opportunity

Right now is the perfect time to invest in an authentic brand shift. 

Every digital space is overflowing with AI-created content that is generic and lackluster. This means that standing out by being real has never been easier. 

The algorithms control everything (whether we want to admit it or not), so we have to find a way to cut through that. 

The answer: being relentlessly human at every turn. This means breathing life into your brand by adding a humanistic element that can’t be replicated. 

Sure words sound nice and AI can speed up content creation, but it cannot channel the energy your brand needs to resonate on a human level that is algorithm-proof. 

In 2025, your competitive edge isn’t more content. It’s more humanity.

Why “Real” Rises Above the Noise

Here’s what the data says:

• 60% of consumers trust creators more than brand ads (Edelman, 2025)

• 81% of shoppers say authenticity directly impacts purchase decisions (Influencer Marketing Hub, 2024)

• Younger buyers, especially Gen Z, now expect unfiltered, unscripted content as the norm (Axios, 2025)
  
  

Add in AI fatigue and you have the perfect storm. We’re inundated with automated content that’s technically perfect but emotionally vacant. So when something real shows up (something flawed, unpolished, human) it lights up the brain’s social and emotional pathways (Cialdini, 2001; Baumeister & Leary, 1995).

In other words, when your content feels like a conversation instead of a campaign, people pay attention.

The Psychology of Ultra-Authentic Content

Emotional Safety
Our brains are wired to detect threat before anything else. Marketing that feels manipulative, pushy, or emotionally distant triggers that warning system. But transparency lowers the guard. When you say the thing that no one else is saying … even if it’s messy … you create safety (Goleman, 1995).

Identity Reflection
People don’t buy products. They buy reflections of themselves. According to McKinsey’s 2025 consumer report, we’re seeing a rise in self-expression shopping where people are making decisions based on who they want to be seen as, not just what they need (McKinsey & Company, 2025). When your content mirrors their values or aspirations, they lean in.

Reciprocity Bias
We’re psychologically wired to return a gift. When a brand shares something vulnerable or unexpected — a behind-the-scenes moment, a hard lesson, a real opinion — people instinctively want to give something back. It might be attention, loyalty, or simply stopping to read instead of scrolling by (Cialdini, 2001).

How to Shift Into Ruthless Authenticity

This isn’t about ditching your brand guidelines or tearing down your content strategy. It’s about letting people see the humans behind the company. Because that’s who we trust. Not logos. People.

Here’s how to make your brand feel more human:

Stop stripping the personality from your posts
If every post sounds like it was reviewed by legal and filtered through six rounds of approvals, it will get skipped. Give your team permission to write like people. Let your posts sound like the conversations your leaders actually have. Curious, clear, emotionally intelligent.

Name what’s real, even when it’s imperfect
Brands try so hard to stay on-message that they forget to be believable. You don’t need a polished crisis response to talk about a tough quarter. You need transparency. Audiences can handle nuance, especially when it’s honest. Whether it’s a mistake, a pivot, or a behind-the-scenes tension, naming the truth builds trust.

Trade buzzwords for real stories
“Empower.” “Innovate.” “Drive change.” These phrases have been used so much they’ve lost their meaning. Instead, tell us about the employee who brought an idea to the table that reshaped a whole department. The customer who told your team they felt understood for the first time. The meeting that made you rethink your core offering. These are the moments that make people care.

Use your data to listen, not just perform
Don’t just measure engagement. Interpret it. Are people saving your content because it hit a nerve? Are DMs getting more personal? Are your clients referencing things you’ve posted in conversations? That’s not vanity. That’s validation. Watch for resonance, not just reach.

Let belonging be your brand voice
When you’re stuck between safe and meaningful, choose meaningful. Ask what kind of message would help your audience feel seen. What story would remind them they’re not alone in this. What language makes space for them to show up as they are. That’s your content strategy.

The most human brands don’t just show up. They show themselves. That’s what earns trust. And in a time when everyone’s chasing attention, trust is what actually converts.

Your Competitive Edge Is Your Humanity

Let’s be honest. Most people won’t remember what you posted last week. But they will remember how it made them feel.

When your content stops performing and starts connecting, everything shifts. That’s the moment someone saves your post instead of scrolling by. That’s the moment someone forwards your newsletter to a colleague. That’s the moment a follower becomes a client.

Not because you pushed.

Because you showed up like a person.

If you’re ready to move toward this kind of work, download the free BELONG™ Framework Guide. It’s rooted in psychology, but built for practice. Because content shouldn’t just perform. It should belong. And so should you.

Works Cited

Baumeister, R. F., & Leary, M. R. (1995). The need to belong: Desire for interpersonal attachments as a fundamental human motivation. Psychological Bulletin, 117(3), 497–529.
Cialdini, R. B. (2001). Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion. Harper Business.
Edelman Trust Barometer. (2025). 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer. Edelman. Retrieved from edelman.com
Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional Intelligence. Bantam Books.
Influencer Marketing Hub. (2024, September 8). Top 34 branding statistics and trends to know in 2024. Retrieved from influencermarketinghub.com
McKinsey & Company. (2025, June 9). State of the Consumer 2025: When disruption becomes permanent. Retrieved from mckinsey.com
Axios. (2025, June 27). Young consumers want realness from brands. Retrieved from axios.com