A personal brand is a relationship with you, an individual. The process involves finding your voice and uniqueness to build a reputation on that which you are good at (Stelzner, M. 2019).By establishing a personal brand, you can foster trust which will in turn attract buyers and clients. This can lead to further business and networking opportunities. (Estrada, M. 2020).
“With SO MUCH content and SO MANY small businesses popping up online, a brand that connects to a person’s face is much easier to trust faster. It takes less time and effort to build a relationship with a personal brand as compared to a business brand.”
(Basu, T. 2018)
Someone will always be screening you online, personal branding is your way of controlling the narrative. By demonstrating your skills and knowledge, you can really stand out from the crowd and create a lasting platform to continuously build upon. Once you have built up a strong reputation for being a leader in your field, you can apply premium pricing and really capitalise on your hard work.
Personal branding isn’t just for influencers and entrepreneurs, larger companies can also push forward individuals within their business to be the face of their brand (Stelzner, M. 2019).
Using Social Media for personal branding
We all project a persona on social media by posting content that connects to who we are as an individual. However, if we are to use platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn to promote ourselves professionally we need to take a more considered approach.
According to a study in 2018, 70% of employers use social media to screen candidates during the hiring process and 43% of employers regularly use social media to check on employees (Castrillon, C. 2019).
Social media is a great tool for promoting you as a person, the face of your product and brand.
Firstly, ask yourself who you are? What would you like to be known for and where do your strengths and passions lie? Look at those that inspire you. Or maybe you already have a brand that needs some analysis. Are you really presenting yourself in the best way? Take some time to audit what you have already posted and ascertain whether people are engaging in the way you want. Next, establish a strategy, set some goals, create a scheduling calendar and ensure your profiles across the networks are consistently conveying the same strong message. By taking time to analyse your current content (if you have any) you are able to implement changes if needed and re-launch your brand. Ensure your content is captivating and interesting, allowing opportunities for followers to engage with you and each other; posting content that asks your followers to comment or share are great ways to extend your reach and entice new followers, in turn monetising your efforts.
According to a recent study, it is estimated that people will spend 100 minutes a day watching video content in 2021 (Chaffey, D. 2020). Therefore, to really engage with your audience, add some video content to underline who you are, increasing your appeal and reach. Another important step to building your network and trust from followers is to comment on and share content produced by others in your field. Look to the leaders in your industry and spark up conversations, let them know who you are and build a relationship with them. They might in turn, share your content and help raise your profile (DeLany, C. 2020).
Good examples of using social media for personal branding
Megan Jayne Crabbe aka Bodyposipanda
Megan is a body positivity influencer and has amassed a following on Instagram of 1.3 million. The content is humorous, genuine, inspiring and has a strong theme of social justice and equality. Through creating a strong personal brand and voice, she has become a; podcaster and author and collaborates with many large brands, such as Dove, Bodyshop and EA The Sims.
https://www.instagram.com/bodyposipanda/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJU46H9UjvIXLEtAknI9c8g
Matt Haig
Matt is a Sunday Times best-selling author, with profiles on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. He posts inspirational quotes and stories around mental health that are often based on his own experiences. Posting numerous times throughout the day on Twitter, his heartfelt and sometimes funny posts are shared by thousands across social media. His honesty, humanity and vulnerability is what makes him appealing and likeable.
https://www.instagram.com/mattzhaig/
IMAGE REFERENCES:
Figure 1. Bodyposipanda (2021) Instagram(photograph)
Figure 2. Morre, A (2018) Matt Haig: I wanted to end it all, but surviving and thriving is the lesson I pass on’ (photograph)
In Text References:
Social Examiner, Stelzner, M (2019) ‘Personal Branding: How to successfully build your brand’ viewed 15thJanuary 2020.
Career Metis, Estrada, M (2020) ‘5 reasons why personal branding is important’ viewed 15thJanuary 2021.
Thinkific, Basu, T (2018) ‘How to build a personal brand (complete guide to personal branding)’ Viewed 15thJanuary 2021.
https://www.thinkific.com/blog/personal-branding-guide/
Social Media Examiner, Stelzner, M (2019) ‘Personal Branding: How to successfully build your brand’ viewed 16thJanuary 2021.
Forbes, Castrillon, C (2019) ‘Why personal branding is more important than ever’ viewed 16thJanuary 2021
Smart Insights, Chaffey, D (2020) ‘Video marketing statistics to now for 2020’ viewed 16thJanuary 2021
Impact Plus, DeLany, C (2020) ‘How to grow a social media following in 2020: 9 essential steps. Viewed 17thJanuary 2021.
Curiously Suffolk 