Logos have always been the the key way in which a brand becomes recognizable. Nowadays with the growth in use of social media, people have an opportunity to put themselves front and centre. It is often the face of a person which we instantly recognise.
Regardless of whether the person is a model, influencer, CEO of a large corporation, a small business owner or a stay-at-home parent. We know their role in society, their personal interests and their ethos in business and in life. This is essentially what is meant by a personal brand. Developing a personal brand enables you build an audience in which to share your expertise and to network within your industry that could potentially employ you. Here are some suggestions to help develop a successful personal brand.
Find your niche
First and foremost, identify the interests and skills you possess and what it is you can offer to the public. It is best to stick to one or a small number of niches, rather than spreading broadly across a large number of niches. That way when the public see your name and image, they will immediately be able to identify your area of expertise.
Have the credentials to back it up
Consider if you have the credentials in what you are taking about or claiming to be an expert in. Share the activities you have engaged in that make you worthy of people believing in your brand. Be transparent about your skills, experiences, and knowledge this will build trust between you and your audience.
Maximise content across various platforms
Social media offers itself as a personal portfolio to showcase your work and talents. They are platforms with a willing audience and the potential to build your own community.
There are endless opportunities available in which you can display your unique selling point, such as photos, videos, blogs, podcasts. Select the media most relevant and interesting to you. Offer a cohesive approach by making sure it is an accurate representation of yourself but in a variety of ways.
Have a personal website
Whilst it is true that social media platforms have the highest traffic and audience base potential but there are still valid reasons have your own website. A website is owned by you, so you can dance to your own tune and provide further content which cannot be shared so easily across social media. Meanwhile, you can link to other platforms and work on social media sites through your website.
Websites are ideal for producing content in the form of blogs or articles. However, it is no use if nobody is reading it. Consider engaging with an agency that can monitor and manage off-page search engine optimization or link building. A link building service will be able to reach out to other websites to provide a recommendation back to content on your site, through the form of guest posts, articles, interviews, or collaborations. The more recommendations you have from other sites the higher it will rank in search engines, thus driving more organic traffic.
Don’t look for shortcuts
There are no hacks to growing a personal brand that will be successful in the long term. Invest time in creating genuine interactions with your audience and being your authentic self. It will be this that allows people to value you is what will allow you to stand out in the long term.
