I saw developing my portfolio’s social media strategy as more than just completing a task. I wanted to clarify how I will creatively show up in the healthcare and pharmaceutical industry. Instead of rushing to post content, my goal was to lay out a clear and intentional foundation that meets my personal goals and professional objectives. Through this process, I learned that an effective strategy has more to do with purpose, clarity and connection than it does with being consistent.

To create my portfolio plan, I started with a mind map of all the projects I have done while earning my degree and working in my field. This allowed me to visually identify my experience and figure out what projects best demonstrate my creative abilities and that I want to be part of my portfolio. After mapping that out, I took some of my ideas and compiled them into a more specific description of how I will present my work in my portfolio. Following this step helped with the user experience of how potential employers interact with and view my work. I also spent some time thinking about how I could make changes to my portfolio over time, as I gain more experience.

Concurrently, I have been developing my blog strategy, which is a large part of helping my social media presence. The first step in my strategy was to determine my purpose. My purpose is to combine creativity and healthcare by creating visually interesting content that simplifies complex concepts into fun, easy-to-read formats. All of my creations will be guided by this purpose so that they are both meaningful and impactful. I also established my tone as “professional with personality.” I want my audience to see my content as polished and credible, but also friendly and engaging.

The second big part of my strategy is consistency. I set a goal to post one blog on Sunday of each week. This will allow me to remain active and relevant while not overwhelming my audience or sacrificing the quality of my blog. Additionally, this creates a rhythm that allows people to better engage with my blog over time. Instead of posting sporadically, I will create a constant presence that people can return to.

When I think of my target audience I think of brands and people in the pharmaceutical world who want new ways to get their message out there. The better I can understand them, the better I will know how to design my projects, and how to present them. Through my work I want to develop social media and web content that will help connect those brands to their target audiences more directly.

Through my work, I learned that social media is more than just creating content; it’s about creating intention. All decisions regarding your tone of voice, your timing for posting, and other things will all work together to build a brand that is cohesive and authentic. By taking the time to formulate a well-thought-through plan and being intentional with what I create, I am not only creating content—I am creating a path for my creative future through the marriage of creativity and health care.