Most people have an individual social media presence, either for personal use and commonly for a professional purpose. Both are a way to communicate your personal brand to the public.
Personal branding – in its simplest form – is the process of managing and optimizing how you are presented to your communities, both personal and professional.
Below are our top recommendations to make sure your personal brand is serving you.
Use the same image across all platforms
Uniformity is key when it comes to social platforms. Using the same professional image across all outlets is important for managing the image you project. Our best advice is to have a professional photo taken. Avoid using anything clearly personal. We’ve seen doctored wedding photos and family images used on LinkedIn, which is a professional platform.
Save your personal photos for your family and friends on Facebook.
Create a well-defined and curated Social Media presence
As you build your professional social media presence, be sure to create a complete, accurate and compelling profile that tells the story you want to tell. If you are including a summary career statement, make sure it is well written and reflects your position in the market – and your value to your business community.
Stay away from standardized background photos, pick one relevant to your market. Link your company page to your profile. Keep everything you post in a positive tone. If you provide references or ask for them, be selective.
Keep your details up to date
Your personal and professional details should always be current. It’s crucial to your credibility with your professional audience. Title your profile with the name you use professionally.
Join niche groups
As a business professional, you strive to be recognized in your business community. The best way to build on that is to join the right professional groups and forums on LinkedIn and other professional platforms.
Being part of industry groups and forums will grow your network, increase your industry knowledge, uncover new ideas, and build credibility with the people within your scope.
Identify and network with key influencers
The primary purpose of LinkedIn is to build a network of likeminded professionals. Influencers within your community should be a large part of your networking goal. Influencers are seeking you out for their network in the same way you are looking to connect with them.
When you connect with them, be sure to identify your common purpose and industry depth. The first thing they will do is review your profile, confirming the need to keep it accurate and updated.
Stay positive
People will judge your professionalism based on what you post. Keep your voice and tone positive and professional. Avoid hot topics that may be perceived negatively.
Be active and responsive
A stale social media presence provides limited value. Be active on your social platforms with relevant posts, likes, comments, etc. Be responsive to the outreach of others. This is essential to engaging with your network and building it into something powerful.
Whether your goal is to shape a professional presence that adds credibility to identify you as a leader in your field, to build new client relationships, or to be invited to consider new opportunities, your personal social media presence, particularly on LinkedIn, is key to achieving the goals you have.
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