In today’s culture, a résumé is practically a formality. It can be a great reference for a potential employer, but to be considered an expert in many fields, a digital identity is crucial. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and LinkedIn offer insights into the life of any professional—whether or not they’re on the clock. Just like the brand development of an organization, development of your personal brand must be strategic, purposeful, and genuine.
Value Proposition
When you look at the brand platform of a company, there is a clear value proposition. A value proposition will tell someone what a company has to offer… not just in tangible product, but in quality of life. How will this product or service improve an area of your life to the point that it’s worth paying for? A value proposition also delivers something unique about that company—arguing that it’s better than the competition. Consider Evernote:
“Your life’s work. For everything you’ll do, Evernote is the workspace to get it done.”
In concise messaging, Evernote delivers who they are, what they do, how that can help you, and what they offer that is unique.
As a professional, you have to answer similar questions about yourself . What are you offering and where are you going? Identify where you want to be in 5 or 10 years. Knowing your goals as a professional, and understanding what you can uniquely offer to the world, will guide your branding process.
Relevant Content – Relevant People
After a basic value proposition has been developed, begin building your audience. Social media is all about building a network of people that you can influence, and that can influence you.
Remember that if a personal brand and professional goals are at the heart of what you want to accomplish, then only following friends and family will do little to move you toward success. Keep them as friends and followers, but take the time to expand your social horizons.
Use Twitter and LinkedIn, especially, to branch out of your network. Begin finding people that are like you, or that you aspire to learn from, and make the connection. Search hashtags about relevant topics on Twitter, and befriend people that care about the same things you do. Comment on their posts, engage in conversations, and tweet things with those same hashtags. In my network, #print, #design, #web, and #brand are all frequently used. Keep your “I’m craving Ben & Jerry’s” tweets to a bare minimum. While you’ll want those 140 characters to feel personal and natural, the topics should remain close to your professional interests.
On LinkedIn, groups are a great way to get involved and make connections with others in a relevant field. Don’t be afraid to request connections with potential employers, as long as you’re profile is well-populated with content. It can take time to find an audience and group of peers, but once they’ve been identified it will make engagement much easier.
When it comes to a personal brand, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest won’t be the best way to expand your audience. However, they are reflections of you as a person. Many hold the view that Facebook is an appropriate space to share anything and everything. However, remember that every post is giving insight into your brand. There is no need to be fake, or only post your successes. These particular social channels are meant for interacting with people you know and love. But, be sure that the pictures you Instagram, or the venting sessions you share on Facebook, are something you want ANYone to see (including potential employers, current clients, etc.).
Blogging
We’ve all heard this before: “content is king.” But really… content IS king. If you have any type of social account, it’s crucial that you have the time and strategy to maintain it. Major corporations have teams of people that form marketing messages. When developing a personal brand, you are in charge of that messaging. Everything you post on the internet becomes a piece of that puzzle. Your network is forming an opinion about who you are, what you do, and why you provide value.
While Twitter and Facebook can be considered “micro-blogging,” starting a real blog takes ten-times the effort to sustain. If you’re considering starting a blog, more power to you! But, don’t take the task lightly. If you aren’t sure you have time to devote to a weekly or bi-monthly post, then try guest blogging. Find a professional peer that wants a break for a week, or that knows someone who needs a blog about your expertise. You’ll have the added credibility of being featured on someone else’s blog, and you’re only committing to as many posts as your schedule allows.
Tips and Tricks
Here are some things to note as you’re developing your image via social media:
- On LinkedIn, be sure you have a professional headshot as your profile photo. Nothing else will do. For the remainder of your profile photos, keep it fun and personal. Some would say it’s best to keep the same photo, but as long as you’re clearly visible and up-to-date in each photo, that’s great. (Refrain from images of your kids/ dogs/ coffee).
- For any background or cover photos, make sure the image quality is exceptional. Nothing says “technology novice” like a pixelated or blurry cover image.
- Develop a memorable and unique hashtag that can accompany a ritual tweet. For instance, if you’re a financial advisor, read and share a blog about personal finance each Wednesday, followed by #wednesdaywisdom.
- Try not to feed any particular social media with another (i.e. having your tweets auto-send to Facebook). Most social media—except for the occasional Instagram photo shared to Twitter/ Facebook—is not meant to display well on other sites. If you REALLY want to share the same content, go to each social stream and share the information manually.
- Here is a great cheat-sheet, from Corey Smith, for knowing what type of content to share on different social platforms:
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