Picture this: you are searching for a job in some corner the corporate world, and employers are plugging your name into a search engine. Are you confident in how the internet will sell you? Will a hiring manager be impressed with your professional presence online? Or, say you’re a business and people are searching you online… will your branding attract an audience? If your answer was no for either of those questions, don’t fret! Mark Schaefer, a college professor, consultant, and best-selling author gifted readers a How-To guide on solidifying your professional presence online. From “KNOWN: The handbook for building and unleashing your personal brand in the digital age”, here are six key takeaways that will ameliorate your online personal brand.
1. The importance of building a personal brand.
In his book, Schaefer emphasizes the importance of building a personal brand in today’s digital age. He argues that by building a personal brand, individuals and businesses can stand out in a crowded marketplace and build trust and loyalty with their audience.
2. The power of relationships.
Schaefer stresses the importance of relationships in building a successful personal brand. He suggests that individuals should focus on building authentic relationships with their audience and other influencers in their field. It is common knowledge that building a network is a great advantage in the professional world; however, a network of purely surface connections, like adding a distantly familiar face on LinkedIn, will not cut it. It is about building true relationships that will come in handy when needing advice, a job, or new faces walking through doors of your business.
3. The role of content in personal branding.
Creating high-quality content is an essential part of building a personal brand. Schaefer suggests that individuals should focus on creating content that is valuable, relevant, and interesting to their target audience.
4. The need for a consistent message.
Schaefer emphasizes the importance of consistency in personal branding. He suggests that individuals should be consistent in their message and image across all platforms and channels to build credibility and trust with their audience.
5. The influence of social media.
Schaefer explores the role of social media in personal branding and suggests that individuals should be strategic in their use of social media to build their brand and reach their target audience.
6. The value of storytelling.
Storytelling is a highly effective way to build an emotional connection with your audience. He suggests that individuals use storytelling in their content and interactions to create an emotional connection with their target audience. Here’s another ‘picture this’: say you are hiring manager deciding between two different employees with same experience and skillsets. You plug their names into a search engine and find nothing but an unused Twitter account for one candidate, and for the other, a personal website with social media links, an ‘about me’ page, and a few blogs with personal experiences. Would you rather hire a ghost, or someone you have learned deeper about, simply due to their personal branding online? I don’t know about you, but I don’t picture myself favoring a ghost.
