HOW TO USE SOCIAL MEDIA FOR PERSONAL BRANDING
You’re a brand. I’m a brand. We’re all brands, whether we aim for it or not.
Personal branding is a process of managing and optimizing the way you are presented to others.
...and social media is one of the keys, if not the biggest key to managing your personal brand online. When it’s just you, you need to take a different approach to growing your brand through social media.
So, how do you build a personal brand? Let’s look at some steps to help you.
1. CHOOSE AN AREA OF EXPERTISE
What sets you apart from everyone else? What is your unique selling proposition, or USP?
There are many different ways to approach the process of determining your expertise. A couple that makes a lot of sense include checking with yourself by asking questions and performing some personal research on your favorite topics.
For example, some questions that I asked myself were:
What are my passions and interests?
Will I still be interested in this six months or a year from now?
What’s the one thing that everyone says I’m good at?
It’s more important that the topic be something you are authentically passionate about. You can always have a change and play around with your rebrand as you start getting into your branding/business.
2. KEEP THE SAME NAME, PROFILE PICTURE, AND THEME/BRAND ACROSS ALL OF YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS
Consistency is the key!
Keeping a consistent profile helps others find you easily, and it helps cement a picture of you in their minds. The lesser variations that you have, the easier it is to make a mark.
Use a consistent name on all channels
Try and use the same profile photo across all channels
Have a consistent design look (same brand colours)
3. WHEN STARTING OUT, TRY AND POST EVERY DAY TO YOUR MOST VALUED SOCIAL PROFILES
Taking an active role on your social channels is key to creating a relationship with your engaged followers which indirectly creates a bond/trust.
Choose a staple type of update to share, like an image, link, quote, reshare, status update.
5. Try to join groups and communities
Sharing consistently to social media will help draw others to you and your brand. Along with this, you can take a proactive approach to social media engagement by getting involved with your community.
Community is so important! You can always turn to your community for advice with regard to your branding.
6. Keep a track of people who support you and mention your name
To take things one step further, you can connect your email to other notification services so that you can receive notifications in the most immediate way possible for you.
It’s always good to reply to an email or enquiry within 24 hours. These notifications will help you keep a track of who to reply to.
When it comes to personal branding, stay positive and be authentic! Share their content, engage with them, and interact whenever possible.
Hi! I’m Jannan
I’m Jannan Poppen. I help purpose-driven businesses bring their vision to life through brand and web design so they can create the impact and income they desire.