Let’s start with creating a professional online presence. Many people get stuck on the idea of a personal brand, but it’s more than just that. Your professional online presence must be consistent with your brand and professional goals. It’s important to use different forms of media to convey who you are online, from appropriate profile pictures to bios and usernames. Make sure your social media profiles reflect your personal brand and values so there’s no disconnect between who you are online and in person.
Once you’ve built your professional online presence, you can leverage it to further develop your brand. Social media is a powerful tool, but I always recommend being platform agnostic and choosing the platforms where your audience is most likely to be. For me, that’s LinkedIn and a little bit of Instagram. Share content that is relevant, valuable, and consistent with your personal brand.
Networking and building relationships with your audience is key to building a strong personal brand. Engage with your followers and other professionals in your industry, and don’t just post and ghost. Offer value through your content, whether a little tidbit of information or something to brighten someone’s day. Remember, social proof and what people say about you is a large part of your brand, so aligning with certain people can help you build a stronger brand.
That’s it for this section. Take a break, review your content and assessment, and we’ll see you shortly.