If you’re a person – you have a personal brand. These characteristics and attributes are magnified now that social media is around.
So how do you build your personal brand online?
Let’s start with defining and perfecting your personal brand.
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Be Human.
People can tell if you’re being fake. Tell your audience about your wins and setbacks – no matter what you share though, end it on an encouraging note.
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Embrace being vulnerable.
People can connect with real stories – give your audience the chance to be empathetic. If you leverage your content with this mindset – you’ll find your audience will become invested in your story.
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Define your message.
What are your core values? What are your strengths and skills? What do you want to be known for?
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Differentiate yourself.
What makes you different? What is one thing that you’re great at? What can others learn from you? What value can you add to your audience’s life?
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Start from the beginning…
No one cares about your current success unless they’ve been a part of your journey leading up to it. You need to build an emotional connection with your audience. Show them the comparison of who you were vs who you are now. Show them that your dreams are possible. Inspire them.
So now that you’ve defined your personal brand, you can begin building it.
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Audit your online presence.
Start by Googling yourself. What shows up first? Is there something you don’t want up there. Remove it as best as possible. Set up a Google alert to monitor new mentions going forward.
Go through your social profiles and platforms. What story are you telling? Not what you’re aiming for? Update your profiles and make the change.
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LinkedIn!
Do you have a LinkedIn profile? If you haven’t, create one! Make sure you have the following…
- A professional photo
- A customized headline
- A clear summary
- A description of each of your past and current positions
- Recommendations from past employers
- Your key skills
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Claim your other social media profiles.
What social platforms make sense for you? Do you hate taking pictures? Then Instagram probably isn’t for you. Claim as many of the social platforms as possible. Attempt to use the same username across the board so people can find you easily.
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Create a personal website.
It doesn’t need to be fancy – just include a short bio, your CV, your contact details and links to your social network profiles. Get a custom name (firstnamelastname.com). Have someone proofread everything for you. No one likes spelling and grammar mistakes.
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Get a professional email address.
No matter what – do not use a Hotmail address for professional contacts. Gmail is the standard – so if nothing else, use a Gmail account (firstnamelastname@gmail.com). It’s even better if you can get an email with your domain name (firstname@firstnamelastname.com) or even (hello@firstnamelastname.com).
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Produce valuable content.
It’s nice to have a presence on different networks, but you can’t stop there. Start by commenting on and sharing other people’s content. Be sure to create and publish your own valuable content. If you can, try adding a blog to your site or even a podcast or vlog.
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Be active.
Participate in different groups, communities, and forums. Take part in online events such as Twitter chats – and start your own! Try joining groups on LinkedIn and Facebook. Establish yourself as a valued member of the community.
Do you have questions? Want More Info?
Join the #AIMSocial Community and join the discussion!
