As a Certified Personal Branding Strategist I often get approached about new products and services relating to personal branding. So it was nice to have the opportunity to be interviewed by a student on the topic of Personal Branding from an Irish perspective as part of their post graduate research.
It has been quite some time since I wrote an article on the topic of personal branding so I thought I would share a summary of the key questions I was asked on the topic of Personal Branding and how it relates to LinkedIn.
How Does Someone Develop A Personal Brand?
Many people today are writing and talking about ‘creating a personal brand’. I personally do not believe that we ‘create’ our personal brand. Your personal brand is effectively your reputation.
The question to consider is are we aware of what our personal brand is in the eyes of people that matter to us in terms of professional success.
Then you can start a process to develop and proactively managing your personal brand to support your career goals.
What Role Does LinkedIn Play In Terms Of Personal Branding?
LinkedIn is like other publishing platforms including blogs and social networks as we can use all these tools to represent our personal brand online through the content we publish, what we choose to share and how we interact with others.
If you are a professional and are looking to network with other professionals online then LinkedIn is a key platform on which to publish your profile and connect with others. However it is important to remember that LinkedIn is not the only social network you should use professionally and this will differ by geographic market and your professional goals.
If you are working in an organisation rather than being self-employed, it is important to refer to your company’s social media policy when starting use social networks including LinkedIn to support your professional goals to ensure you remain compliant with their guidelines.
LinkedIn ranks high in some search engines so you can manage your online visibility if people search for you by name and you can decide what content is available in public searches and what you want to restrict to only those people you have agreed to connect with.
If you are looking to connect to professionals in a particular geographic market it is important to understand which social networks they use and then build a presence and extend your online networking on relevant platforms to support your professional goals.
With LinkedIn’s introduction of LinkedIn Publisher it is provides all of us the opportunity to publish articles that can be easily viewed by people in our network. LinkedIn has many other features that can support you in building online visibility.
It is important to remember who your primary audience is that you want to connect with and what is culturally acceptable. For example, it is not unusual to see people in the US with video testimonials on their LinkedIn profile. However this is not the usual approach for professionals for example in Ireland and the UK.
What Do People Need To Keep In Mind When Communicating Their Personal Brand On LinkedIn?
There are many different features of LinkedIn that you can use to help you express your personal brand online. If you are serious about using LinkedIn to support your professional goals I recommend that you review their own resources and also invest in a training programme or books on the topic of using Linkedin for business and career success.
Four things to consider when using LinkedIn include:
1. Craft a compelling profile that showcases your experience including adding multimedia to support your career story
2. Join and participate in Groups that will help you connect with the people you are interested in getting to know
3. Consider the impact and impression you will have with people by the tone of your content and how you interact with your online network
4. Share and publish content that reflects your expertise and what you want to be known for.
What Should People Keep In Mind When Practicing The Concept Of Personal Branding?
It is important to remember that your personal brand is not just what you think you stand for – your personal brand will be in the hearts and minds of others you interact with both online and offline, and it is essentially your reputation as I referred to earlier in our conversation.
Many of us change the direction of our career and therefore it is important to continue to invest in managing your reputation over time including being aware of your digital footprint and how you express yourself online.
Do You Think Personal Branding Could Enhance Someone’s Ability To Change Career Or Give Them More Leverage?
Having clarity about your personal brand including your aspirations for your career can help you when undertaking a career change. It will also help you understand how you add value to a future employer and how you are differentiated.
It does not matter if you are 21 or 71, understanding and proactively managing your personal brand online and offline can help you stand out in a crowded market place.
In today’s competitive job market it is important to identify your area of subject matter expertise. Being confident and understanding your personal brand is and what you stand for can therefore support you when choosing the right path to follow.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO HELP YOU DEVELOP YOUR PERSONAL BRAND
If you are looking for a professional speaker on the topic of personal branding or LinkedIn for business or an inhouse workshop to support your business leaders you can contact me about my personal branding customised programmes.
If you are a professional who is looking to differentiate themselves and build their visibility as an authority you can contact me about my personal branding services.
I have also introduced a free personal branding consulting service delivered through Google Helpouts – you can book a consultation with me here.
