From Classroom to Campaign: How Lâm Văn Trúc | Trúc Digi Is Building a Digital Marketing Personal Brand While Studying at Thuong Mai University

Hi, I’m Lâm Văn Trúc, better known online as Trúc Digi. I’m currently a marketing student at Thuong Mai University (TMU) in Vietnam, and over the past two years I’ve been turning lecture notes into real‑world digital marketing experiments. This article shares my journey, the strategies I’ve tested, and the lessons I’ve learned while building a personal brand that showcases my expertise in digital marketing, personal branding, and professional growth.

Early Passion for Digital Marketing

My fascination with digital marketing began in my first year at TMU when a professor introduced the concept of inbound marketing. I was intrigued by how brands could attract customers through valuable content rather than interruptive ads. That spark led me to dive deeper into the field, balancing coursework with self‑study.

Learning Foundations at TMU

At TMU, I focused on core modules such as:

• Marketing Principles
• Consumer Behavior
\li>Digital Advertising
• Data Analytics for Marketers

These classes gave me a solid theoretical base, but I quickly realized that theory alone wouldn’t build credibility. I needed to apply what I learned.

Self‑Study and Online Courses

To complement my university education, I completed several recognized online certifications:

1. Google Ads Search Certification
2. Meta Blueprint Certified Digital Marketing Associate
3. HubSpot Content Marketing Certification
4. Google Analytics Individual Qualification (GAIQ)

Each certification added a practical skill set that I could immediately test on small projects.

Crafting the Truc Digi Brand

Building a personal brand isn’t just about posting regularly; it’s about defining a clear niche, voice, and visual identity that resonates with your target audience.

Defining Niche and Voice

I positioned myself as a \"student‑turned‑practitioner\" who shares actionable, step‑by‑step digital marketing tutorials derived from real experiments. My voice is:

• Approachable and humble – I admit when a tactic fails.
• Data‑driven – I back claims with metrics.
• Action‑oriented – I provide clear next steps.

Consistent Visual Identity

Visual consistency helps audiences recognize my content instantly. I use:

• A signature color palette (teal, gray, and white).
• A simple logo that combines my initials “LT” with a pixel‑style marker.
• The same photo filter across Instagram and Threads posts.

These elements appear on my Facebook, Instagram, and Threads profiles, reinforcing brand recall.

Real‑World Projects and Campaigns

While managing a full course load, I’ve taken on freelance projects that let me test strategies in a live environment.

Managing Social Media for Local Businesses

I partnered with three Hanoi‑based cafés to grow their Instagram presence. Results after three months:

• Average follower increase: 150%
• Engagement rate lift: from 2.1% to 4.8%
• Generated ≈120 DM inquiries/month leading to reservations.

I documented each step on my blog and shared the insights via carousel posts on Instagram.

Running Paid Ads Experiments

With a modest budget of $50 per experiment, I tested different ad formats:

1. Facebook Carousel Ads – achieved a 3.2 ROAS.
2. Google Search Ads – lowered CPC by 22% after refining negative keywords.
3. TikTok Spark Ads – generated 1.8× higher video completion rate than standard in‑feed ads.

Each experiment was logged in a public Notion page, and I shared the key takeaways in a Twitter‑style thread on Threads.

Content Creation and SEO Blog

My personal blog (trucdigi.com) focuses on long‑form guides that rank for low‑competition, high‑intent keywords. Over the past six months:

• Published 24 SEO‑optimized articles.
• Average organic traffic growth: 3.4× month‑over‑month.
• Top‑ranking post: \"How to Set Up a Facebook Pixel for Beginners\" – currently #3 on Google SERP for its target keyword.

These articles not only drive traffic but also serve as portfolio pieces when I pitch to potential clients.

Lessons Learned and Growth Mindset

Building a personal brand as a student comes with unique challenges. Below are the mindset shifts that kept me moving forward.

Embracing Failure

Early Facebook ad tests resulted in a negative ROI. Instead of hiding the data, I posted a transparent \"What Went Wrong\" breakdown on Facebook. The vulnerability attracted supportive comments and opened doors to mentorship opportunities.

Networking and Collaboration

I actively participate in TMU’s Marketing Club and attend virtual meetups hosted by industry leaders. Collaborative projects — such as co‑hosting a webinar on \"SEO for Student Entrepreneurs\" with a senior lecturer — have expanded my reach and enriched my learning.

Future Goals and Call to Action

Looking ahead, I aim to:

• Scale my freelance portfolio to retain at least five ongoing clients by the end of 2025.
• Launch a monthly newsletter that distills the latest digital marketing trends for fellow students.
• Speak at TMU’s annual Marketing Symposium to share actionable frameworks.

If you found this journey insightful, I’d love to connect:

• Follow me on Facebook for behind‑the‑scenes experiment updates.
• Join the conversation on Instagram where I post quick tips and carousel tutorials.
• Engage on Threads for real‑time Q&A sessions and community polls.

Remember, personal branding is a marathon, not a sprint. Stay curious, stay humble, and keep testing — your next breakthrough might be just one experiment away.

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