Looking for brand building tips that actually work? Just take a page from Taylor Swift’s playbook. From creating emotional connections to maintaining consistency, she’s a master at crafting a brand that resonates with millions.

One of her biggest strengths? Building hype that keeps her audience engaged and excited. Whether you’re a small business or a personal brand, today we’ll dive into six essential brand building tips inspired by Taylor Swift that can help you create a brand that’s not just memorable, but truly magnetic.

1. Consistency: Be the Same Online and Offline

Let’s start with something Taylor nails: she’s the same person both online and offline. I’ve been deep-diving on Instagram (as one does), and what’s clear is that Taylor isn’t just a curated feed—she’s real. She takes selfies with fans at football games, chats with venue staff, and even leaves generous tips. There’s a sweet story of her offering to take a selfie with someone working at one of her concerts. Same Taylor in real life as on your screen.

For small businesses, the takeaway is simple: consistency is key. Whether your audience meets you on social media, at an event, or through customer service, the experience should feel seamless. It’s the same principle Disney uses: the magic of their movies has to carry over when you step into the theme parks. For us, whether it’s through this podcast or in person, I want my values—making you feel inspired, resourced, and confident—to shine through.

2. Share Your Lived Experience

One of the most powerful things Taylor does is share her life experiences in a way that connects with her audience. If you listened to my episode with Tania Bhattacharya, you’ll remember that Tania coaches thought leaders to share their lived experiences to reach people who are at earlier stages in life.

Taylor’s songs? They’ve been the soundtrack to my life. I remember singing “22” at 22, and relating to her lyrics about friendships, relationships, and growing pains. She writes from the heart, and her audience connects because they’ve been there too.

So how can you apply this to your brand? Share your story. Talk about your journey, your challenges, your wins. Your customers will connect with the human side of your business—and that connection is gold.

3. Build Hype

No one builds hype like Taylor. Remember a few weeks ago when everyone was convinced she was about to drop Taylor’s Version of Reputation? People were analyzing everything from her outfit to her social media posts. The anticipation was real, and it’s fun to get caught up in that kind of excitement.

You don’t have to be launching an album to build hype around your business. Think about upcoming product launches, events, or even sales. Start dropping hints, do countdowns, tease what’s coming next—get your audience excited. The more anticipation you build, the more engaged they’ll be when you finally reveal what you’ve been working on.

4. Recycle Content Like a Pro

If you’ve followed Taylor’s Eras tour, you know that she’s revisiting her past albums and performing songs we’ve known for years. And guess what? We still love hearing them.

In your business, don’t be afraid to recycle your best content. Just because you’ve written about a topic once doesn’t mean it’s over. Maybe you wrote a blog post about overcoming imposter syndrome—why not turn that into a podcast episode or social media series? Take what works, give it a fresh spin, and keep sharing it with your audience.

5. Create Emotional Connections

Branding, at its core, is about how people think and feel about your business (if you are looking for assistance, we’d love to help!). Taylor has mastered this by making her fans feel like they have access to her. Whether she’s posting a video straight to the camera on her phone or interacting with fans at her concerts, she creates an emotional connection.

For small businesses, emotional connection can look like vulnerability, inspiration, or empowerment. It’s about making your customers feel seen, heard, and valued. So ask yourself, what emotions do you want your audience to feel when they think about your brand? And how can you weave that into every interaction?

6. Uplift Your Partners

One of my favorite things Taylor does is uplift the people around her. We saw this at the Super Bowl when she was hanging with friends like Blake Lively and Ice Spice—both of whom she’s also collaborated with professionally. Blake directed one of Taylor’s music videos, and Ice Spice teamed up with her on the “Karma” remix.

But it’s not just about celebrity partnerships. Taylor also worked with a lesser-known photographer for her Evermorealbum shoot, giving that person a major platform boost. She’s done the same with her music producers, like Jack Antonoff, empowering them to take on bigger roles in her work.

In your business, think about how you can do the same. How can you use your platform to uplift partners, collaborators, or even customers? Sharing the spotlight can create a powerful community around your brand, and it strengthens the bonds between you and the people you work with.

So, there you have it: 6 lessons we can all learn from our brand queen, Taylor Swift. From consistency to building hype to creating emotional connections, she’s showing us how it’s done. I hope these tips help you reflect on your own brand and give you some fresh ideas to try out.

Got any other Taylor-inspired branding insights? Let me know in the comments—I’m ready to keep the conversation going!

P.S. Ready to build your own brand hype? Get started with our free Brand Guide template ⁠HERE⁠