A lot has changed in the online world in the past decade, and things seem to evolve at an even faster rate than ever before. Nowadays, anyone has the ability to create content online, which makes it all the more important to distinguish yourself from the rest with your personal brand on social media. In this article, we’ll talk about what a personal brand means and how to create one to set yourself apart.
Personal Brand on Social Media: Why Does it Matter?
Your personal brand is your online persona; it’s how you market yourself and how you show up in the digital world. Everything you share online adds up to create your personal brand – your achievements, your personality, your values, and even your quirks. Your personal branding is more than logos, colors, and fonts – it’s the type of content you share, the themes you explore, the way you present yourself and your brand on social media. How to present yourself online is arguably just as important as how you conduct yourself offline: your digital footprint has a huge impact on how people view you and your brand.
According to an article published by Forbes, to truly stand out in a saturated online world, you need to develop a personal brand that truly reflects who you are and what you have to offer.
Here are some great examples of personal branding: Taylor Swift is known for her authenticity and her storytelling in her music, Duolingo is known for their sassy mascot, Duo the Owl, and Nike is known for their use of emotional storytelling and determination via their tagline “Just Do It.” Whether or not you’re fans or buyers of these people and brands, they all have one thing in common: they’re memorable because of how they’ve set themselves apart through the use of personal branding.
Having a distinct personal brand on social media is important because it is what sets you apart from the crowd and makes you memorable. A brand that really sticks in people’s minds goes far beyond aesthetics and taps into people’s emotions and values. When people recognize you and relate to you, that builds trust, and when people trust you, they buy from you. Building your personal brand on social media can take some time, but when it’s done right it can position you as a thought leader, help you make invaluable connections, and expand your brand’s awareness.
How Do You Create Your Personal Brand?
So, how do you create your personal brand on social media? The short answer: you find what makes you unique and amplify that! If you’re not sure how to find what makes you and your business unique, ask yourself these questions:
- What do you want to be known for?
- What are you an expert in that you can share with others to help them on their journey?
- How do you approach your craft differently from others in your industry/niche?
- What values and ethics are the foundation of your brand?
- What’s the story behind your brand, and how can that inspire others?
- What brand image do you want to convey (how do you want people to see you)?
Once you’ve defined what makes your brand unique, you start sharing! The first step is to find your medium: if you’re a writer, blogs and newsletters are a perfect way to share, if you love to talk, podcasts and videos are a great way to go, and if you love creating, social media is the perfect place to channel that. Another deciding factor that should be considered is what platform your audience hangs out at the most. This most likely depends on your niche and the age group of your target audience, and conducting market research is vital to your strategy.
What Does This Look Like in Action?
So, once you’ve found what makes you unique, defined your target audience, and built out what your personal brand on social media looks like, what does all this look like in action?
Now it’s time for you to fully embody your personal brand! Every piece of content that you share online is building onto your personal brand, cultivating connections, and expanding your reach and your brand’s awareness. It’s important to be consistent in your personal branding, using the same language, imagery, and tone across your platforms, because this is what makes you recognizable and memorable in the minds of your audience.
One of the best ways to do this is by creating and sharing content with YOU because, believe it or not, your audience wants to see and hear from you, personally. Slapping together a generic Canva graphic with a pretty stock image doesn’t work the way it used to because people are craving the uniqueness that makes your brand stand out. They want to see YOU. Embodying your brand involves putting yourself out there to increase your visibility and communicate with more and more people about the unique value you can offer.
Build Your Personal Brand on Social Media
You don’t build a personal brand overnight, but the time and work you pour into it will be more than worth it. Creating this foundation will allow you to amplify your story and connect with more people to share your value. Remember to reevaluate and adjust your strategy as you go because your brand grows with you. Start building your personal brand today!
Donna Galassi is the founder, CEO, and Marketing Director of Blue Zenith Design + Strategy, a full-service marketing and SEO firm she established in February 2009. Her journey to entrepreneurship was forged by a major life shift and the economic upheaval of the Great Recession. After more than 15 years as a software engineer, the loss of her job in 2007 spurred her to create her own path.
Blue Zenith was founded on the promise of giving voice to the entrepreneur. The company specializes in guiding small businesses through the dynamic landscape of marketing and SEO, helping them achieve high findability and brand recognition. Her goal is simple: to help businesses get found, get noticed, and stand out from the competition.