Self-Branding: What It Is & How-To's
A popular misconception about self-branding is that it is only for those in the public eye, but we've got news for you: this is definitely not true! I believe everyone wants to be known for their unique personal talents and traits which personal branding allows you to do. You are demonstrating what makes you individual and building a brand around it.
With the rise of social media influencers and personalities on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok, personal branding has never been more prominent. Creating an online presence on any of these platforms is all up to the creator. You are in the driver's seat deciding what direction you want to take your personal brand.
There are so many different ways in which you can build this brand, but it is important to highlight what makes you stand out from the crowd. One should note that if you are seeking to get immediate results and success, then this is not the career path for you. Building a personal brand is basically starting from scratch. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication which may seem to result in little results at first. Dedication, persistence and a dedicated mindset are key when beginning this journey.
Finding a job and entering the working world has never been more competitive. If you decide to build this personal brand and create some type of online presence, it will become easier for you to network with other like-minded individuals and possibly even get hired by recruiters. Think of this online presence you are building as an online portfolio.
If you want to start building your brand, you will need to understand who your audience is going to be and also understand who may be your competition. Once you have established those important aspects, you will need to develop the strategy on how to reach that audience and define what success is going to look like. Maybe you set time-sensitive goals and reach a certain level of followers by a certain month or year.
Remember to think positively! You want to promote positivity to your audience, but also acknowledge that not everyone on the internet is going to be so welcoming. Having a game plan to address any potential negativity could be very useful. Once you have done all of this, think of ways to develop your brand even more. Maybe you want to start blogging or producing podcasts. Regardless of what you are passionate about, you want to get that interaction at the end of the day.
Let's get busy building your brand - and have fun and realizations about yourself while doing it!
