Rising Instagram influencers, budding politicians, aspiring artists and ambitious business professionals all have one thing in common: they’re consciously or subconsciously building a personal brand. Your personal brand is what proceeds you. It’s what’s communicated by your actions and your experience but, most of all, by your online presence. With the unprecedented control that we now have over our online selves, it’s no wonder that thousands of individuals have devoted some serious time to developing their brand on the internet. If you’re looking to join their number, follow some of the advice listed below.
Social Media
Most people have already been building a personal brand for the majority of their lives, but it’s their social brand they’ve concentrated on. Sites such as Facebook and Instagram offer us a way to interact and communicate things about ourselves online. They are also some of the most prominent marketing tools in the world, and increasingly its businesses – personal or corporate – that are hosted on these platforms. To build your own brand, set up a Facebook page, create an Instagram account, and host a Twitter feed that all lead visitors to your work and your carefully curated profile.
While LinkedIn does fall under the rubric of ‘social media’ it’s also a little removed from the likes of Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. It’s for professionals, and you’ll not find so many cat pictures and memes on LinkedIn; it’s strictly business. A wonderful place to network, you can find like-minded people to collaborate with, or employers to show off your skills to, on this platform. Your personal brand should be curated expertly here, with all of those traits that make you employable and impressive shared online with the rest of the professionals across the world.
Website or Portfolio
A simple website can do a lot to nurture your personal brand. Most appropriate for those with a portfolio to share (but by no means exclusive to those individuals), a website is a simple and effective way to show yourself off without being part of a huge social media crowd. Find a domain name that reflects your brand, and start creating your website by uploading content and hosting your favorite work for the whole internet to inspect. Your brand is built with the words you use to describe yourself, the pictures you choose to upload, and the work you choose to share online.
Word of Mouth
The final way that your personal brand proceeds you is via word of mouth. This is an under-appreciated part of networking; what others say about you to their friends, colleagues or bosses. It’s also a little harder to control, as of course it passes through the membrane of another’s impression of you. Nonetheless, you can maintain some level of control over what’s said about you by always presenting your best side to people, whether in a social or a professional environment. Be bold enough to share your talent, and humble enough to listen to the ideas of others. That way, you’ll be celebrated and respected when discussed by those close to you.
By Steve Conway
Steve Conway is a content marketing professional and inbound marketing expert. Previously, Steve worked as a marketing manager for a tech software start-up. He is passionate about discovering new software that will that will advance his already well-honed digital marketing techniques.