12 Easy Steps To Build Your Personal Brand On Social Media - Ananya Gupta
Developing and maintaining a personal brand has evolved into a pivotal aspect of modern professional life, extending its influence across a diverse range of occupations, transcending the confines of influencers, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders. Be it an architect, entrepreneur, designer, blogger, or attorney, cultivating a distinct personal brand has the potential to set you apart from the crowd and beckon exciting opportunities into your orbit.
I recently came across an article on Forbes, “12 Easy Steps To Build Your Personal Brand On Social Media,” by Bernard Marr and it highlights the growing importance of personal branding across various professions and offers 12 valuable strategies to enhance one’s online reputation.
“If you think about it, you already have a personal brand.”
A potential employer or client, upon Googling your name, would likely encounter your LinkedIn profile, social media accounts, and perhaps mentions in news articles or other online references. This digital footprint, essentially, constitutes your personal brand — an encapsulation of your online reputation.
“Personal branding means taking control of your online reputation and shaping it, so people see you in the way you want to be seen.”
Personal branding is the art of taking control of this reputation, crafting it to reflect the image you wish to project. For example, a search for my name yields results such as my personal website, recent tweets, LinkedIn profile, and various other social media profiles.
While social media isn’t the sole avenue for establishing a personal brand, it plays an integral role. The article points out 12 ways to harness social media effectively to enhance and uphold your personal brand:
1. Profile Enhancement: Ensure your profiles feature professional, current photos, maintaining consistency across different platforms. Remove any content that doesn’t align with your professional image.
2. Authenticity: While maintaining professionalism, let your personality shine through your posts. Be authentic, honest, and discuss matters that genuinely resonate with you.
3. Knowledge Sharing: Sharing relevant industry news on social media can bolster your profile. Subscribe to industry newsletters or set up Google alerts for key topics, adding your insights when sharing.
4. Industry Engagement: Engage in industry-specific social media groups by responding to posts, answering questions, and interacting with others’ content.
5. Generosity: Offer help and support to others by responding to questions, comments, and engaging with their content. Like and share content that resonates with you.
6. Networking: Actively expand your network, particularly on LinkedIn. Connect with professionals in your field, accompanied by a brief personal message.
7. Polls for Engagement: Create quick polls to stimulate interaction and discussion.
8. Visual Content: Share high-quality photos and videos from your professional life, mixing in some “everyday” content while maintaining professionalism.
9. Content Variety: Post diverse content such as advice, thought-provoking questions, presentation excerpts, pro tips, and how-to guides.
10. Long-Form Articles: Demonstrate expertise by writing and sharing in-depth articles on platforms like LinkedIn.
11. Cross-Platform Management: Utilize tools like Hootsuite to schedule and share posts across various platforms, optimizing content reach.
12. Scheduled Engagement: Allocate specific times each day or week for social media activity, balancing productivity and social presence.
In today’s interconnected world, personal branding transcends industries and has become an essential skill for professionals, enabling them to not only showcase their expertise but also create meaningful connections and seize promising opportunities. Whether it’s through your engaging content, active participation in industry groups, or the strategic use of cross-platform tools, each step is a building block toward a stronger, more influential online presence. Invest in your personal brand today, for it’s the key to standing out and thriving in a connected world.
Connect with Ananya on LinkedIn.
