How to Develop YOUR Personal Brand Online Using Social Media -Part 2

In continuance of Thursday's Part 1, once you know WHO you are and WHAT you hope to accomplish, it’s time to jump in online and get savvy with social media platforms.  I could easily write separate blog posts for each online platform as they relate to your personal brand, so the following is just a general overview to help get you started and on the right track. (Want specific input on a social network? –Please drop me a comment to let me know!)

The first step is to select which social media networks you want to use. There’s a good chance this will rely upon your target market, but three good starting locations are LinkedIn, Twitter, and a blog (Wordpress, Tumblr, Blogger). LinkedIn is of course THE professional social network; to not have a presence here is nearly faux pas in the business world nowadays. Twitter is one of the larger social networks when it comes to active users. With 140 character tweets, Twitter allows you to share content that is short and sweet, but rich in content. Finally, the blog can be a fantastic hub for all your social media networks. Further, a blog highlights your writing skills and allows you to generate your own content, as well as respond to other’s content; it’s versatility and customization is what makes it really shine.

Tip: Don’t stop at just Twiiter, LinkedIn, and a blog. Be sure to look into other platforms. I would recommend Pinterest (which is strong on visuals), Facebook (don’t mix professional and personal too much unless that’s part of your strategy), Scoop.it (a content curation site that allows you to aggregate great articles), or even Instagram (another site big on visuals).

Once you've selected your social platforms, it's time to start building your online profiles. Remember, consistency and key words are vital here (and will help with search engine results). Come up with a specific name (or handle or slogan) to identify by. I go by my name, Jessica Pospeck, on all my social media platforms (I happen to be lucky that it's unique and I show up 1st in searches when it's looked up), plus I always incorporate "marketing aficionado" -a keyword plus my stance upfront to let my market know what I'm all about. You’re also going to want a professional profile picture to use on all your platforms; it’s another trigger to help your readers identify you. When setting your profiles up be sure to take the time to fill them out completely. Nothing says I’m unprofessional, I don’t care, or I don’t have enough time to do social media properly like an unfinished profile.

Tip: When setting your social media platforms up it’s important to remain true to who you are. Don’t lie to people; plain and simple. Be honest in about who you are; that quirky hobby of yours may just attract readers and followers because the feature humanizes you more allowing them to better relate.

After your profiles are all set up, it’s time to start posting content. If you’re unsure what to post, “listen” first to what others are posting in your industry to get a feel for the conversation and what resonates well with other users. On Twitter I like to post links to articles I find which are relevant, new, and interesting when it comes to internet marketing. On LinkedIn I like to start conversations in my groups; this not only allows you to share you expertise, but to also gain further insights and learn new things. On my blog I enjoy writing how-to articles, list posts, or writing about responses to other articles I have read (write your response, then add additional information too). Don’t be afraid to share/retweet other’s posts as well (just be sure to give credit).

Tip: Despite your personal goals and objectives, the ultimate goal of social media is to share, connect, and engage with others. Social media is all about the two-way flow of information. Don’t self-promote 100% of the time. Share content that is immediately of use or value to your followers and readers no matter if the original source is you or not (this will help ensure these individuals keep coming back to check your content out!).

Questions or comments? Want some more in depth information regarding platforms or what to post? Please leave me a comment below! As an additional resource, I’d highly recommend checking out the book, Branding Yourself: How to Use Social Media to Invent or Reinvent Yourself, by Erik Deckers and Kyle Lacy. It’s a great resource and an easy read that’s chalked full of useful tips and tricks.

photo credit: nan palmero via photopin cc         photo credit: B Rosen via photopin cc