What Is a Brand Host (And Why Your Business Needs One)

If you’re trying to grow your business on social media, you’ve probably heard this advice a hundred times: show your face. But what happens when no one at your company wants to be on camera? What if your team is amazing at what they do, but uncomfortable with the spotlight or simply uninterested in being the public face of the brand?

That’s where a brand host comes in.

First, Let’s Talk About the Problem

Many businesses come to us with strong offers: incredible products, transformative services, and teams that care deeply about what they do. But their social feeds are stagnant or impersonal because no one wants to be on camera. And you know what? That’s completely fair.

Here’s the truth:

• It’s unethical to force team members to post on social media. We’ve seen it happen. Companies pushing employees to engage or appear on camera as part of their job descriptions. That’s not leadership; that’s pressure. Unless someone is specifically hired for that role or expresses interest in being on camera, social media visibility should never be a job requirement.

• Some brands aren’t built on personality. For example, our own agency, Monarch Social Media, doesn’t rely on a single founder or team persona. We want our clients to focus on our strategy and results, not the personalities behind them.

• Content creation is time-consuming. Even if you’re comfortable on camera, being consistent with talking head videos, reels, or TikTok’s is a job in and of itself. Most founders and team leads just don’t have the time.

And yet, we know that human content performs better. We see it across industries: UGC, testimonials, behind-the-scenes snippets; they outperform graphic posts because people want to connect with people. Not logos. Not AI avatars. People.

What Is a Brand Host?

A brand host is someone hired specifically to speak on behalf of your brand on social media. They are the on-camera talent for your business, delivering value-driven videos, participating in trends, introducing products or services, and humanizing your message.

Brand hosts don’t have to be influencers. They don’t have to be famous. But they do need to be relatable, confident, and comfortable on camera.

Why Not Use AI Avatars?

You could use AI avatars, and there are cases where we’d be open to testing them. But here’s the reality: most AI avatars are awkward, over-produced, and inauthentic. They feel impersonal and can damage your brand trust. Especially if your audience values authenticity.

If you want real engagement, your content needs to reflect real people.

Great Examples of Brand Hosts

Here are two standout examples that use brand hosts effectively:

1. SEMrush

We’re big fans of SEMrush. It’s a powerful tool we use to optimize SEO for our clients and ourselves. But one of the reasons their content stands out is Chris, their charismatic brand host. He brings personality and clarity to topics that could otherwise be dry, helping users connect with the brand through video. Click here to see one of our favourite TikToks from Chris.

Bonus tip: If you’re a social media manager, you need to get serious about SEO. Short captions aren’t cutting it anymore. We highly recommend starting a free trial of SEMrush if you want to level up your content strategy. Click this link to take a look at the platform. 

2. BlogTO

A staple in Toronto’s content scene, BlogTO uses brand hosts in a “news anchor meets social media” way. These short, snappy videos have a recognizable face, which builds trust and keeps followers coming back. It’s a smart move and it works. Here’s a link to some very Toronto based content.

Who Should You Hire?

The good news? We live in the post-influencer age. Being a creator is no longer about luxury hauls and viral dance videos. It’s about relatability, connection, and clarity.

Look for:

• UGC creators who already produce relatable content.

• Actors or performers who can take direction and follow a brief.

• Content creators who understand short-form storytelling.

• Micro-influencers who want more consistent work without the pressure of brand deals.

What’s key is that this person doesn’t have to be famous—they just need to be reliable and real.

What Kind of Content Can a Brand Host Create?

There are endless possibilities, depending on your strategy and goals:

• Talking head videos explaining your services

• Green screen trend videos

• Tutorials and walkthroughs

• Behind-the-scenes tours

• Short interviews with your team or customers

• Product reviews and demos

The point is: this person is hired to be the face of your brand. That’s their whole job. So you (and your team) can stay focused on what you do best.

We’re Putting It to the Test

At Monarch, we don’t just talk the talk. We walk it. Starting in June, we’re introducing our very own brand host for the agency. We’ve worked with her before and trust her completely. She’s warm, professional, and takes a brief like nobody else.

We’ll be documenting the process and sharing the results across our platforms. If you want to see what having a brand host looks like in real-time and whether it could work for your business follow along.

Ready to bring a brand host into your strategy?

Let’s talk about how to find the right person and what kind of content they could create for your brand. Book a discovery call with the Monarch team.