Always be branding
Building your personal brand isn’t something that just happens overnight. If you want to grow your brand, you need to work on it actively.
We’re all familiar with the concept of branding. However, personal branding is so often overlooked by people looking for professional success. From how you interact with people on social media to the visual aesthetics of your website and social media accounts, building your personal brand takes time and effort.
Let’s look at some of the steps you take to build your personal brand and why it’s so important in today’s digital world.
What is a brand?
When we think of the word “brand,” many of us instantly turn to big businesses. However, the fact of the matter is that in the social media world that we live in today, we’re all brands.
While that statement sounds like something out of a bleak capitalist dystopian nightmare, the way you present your personal brand is so important – from applying for jobs to looking for clients as a freelancer.
1. Find your niche
Answer the following question: what do you do that sets you apart?
If you can’t answer that question quickly, it’s probably time to do some brainstorming. Being able to nail down your niche is one of the keys to building your personal brand.
Whatever industry you’re in, we’re willing to bet it’s competitive, especially online. Spend some time figuring out how you can set yourself apart from the pack. Often, it’s better to be a big fish in a small pond than a small fish in a massive ocean.
Time for another question: what do you want to be known for?
Remember that you don’t have to nail this down to just one thing. Make a list of 1-3 things you know you do well and enjoy doing. From there, put some effort into focussing on those things. No one wants a master of none. It’s more beneficial to be great at a few things than just OK at a whole swag of things.
2. Make your branding consistent
On the #SMPerth blog, we’ve spoken at length about businesses making their online presence as recognisable as possible. And guess what? You (yes, you, the person) are a brand. When building your personal brand online and on social media, you must keep your branding consistent.
From the profile picture you use on all your accounts to your handle, bio, and contact information, consistency is the key.
3. Develop a posting schedule
The fact of the matter is that social media is a time-consuming endeavour, and that’s why we recommend having a clear posting schedule and taking advantage of a scheduling program.
One of the best platforms for building your personal brand is Instagram, and we love using Sked to stay on top of all our Instagram content.
In addition to having a solid posting schedule, you should also consider diversifying your content. Consider sharing images, status updates, blogs, videos, user-generated content, quotes, etc.
4. Network
From Twitter Space and LinkedIn to Facebook Groups, having a solid network is crucial for building your personal brand.
Building your professional network is a must in today’s digital world. LinkedIn and Twitter are great places to make professional connections. Don’t be afraid to reach out and make the first move. If someone connects with you, respond promptly.
5. Track your mentions
The world moves fast. Online, the world moves even faster.
When people reach out on social media, responding quickly is essential. With just about everyone having a smartphone in their pocket nearly all the time, there’s almost no excuse to keep people waiting for a response for more than a handful of hours.
If you’re focussed on building your personal brand, when people mention you online, try and reply within 24 hours.
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