The 4 Steps That Helped Me Build My Personal Brand From Scratch
Remember when a CV was all it took to impress a potential employer? Those were simpler times, indeed. But somehow it feels limited when I look back now.
When I applied to my first job, all I had to forward to my then-employer was a resume listing my qualifications and a cover letter. However, by the time I was applying to my third job, things had changed, somewhat drastically. In the face of the increasing popularity of social media networks and digital marketing, the good old CV became inadequate, like it’s the least “cool” way to get a job.
Last time I checked, there were a plethora of ways one can use to build his or her own personal brand , both online and offline. And what is personal branding? In its simplest terms, personal branding is a way to become a recognized person or a person of authority in your industry/niche or among your customers or peers. It’s not necessarily about selling yourself or your talent, but creating an identity based on what you are capable of (your expertise). It’s about making yourself available to those who can use your help.
Following are the steps I took to build my personal brand when all I had was a PDF of my CV. Note: These methods are not limited to job seekers—entrepreneurs can also incorporate them to build their brand, increase their credibility among customers, and earn a well-recognized status within the industry.
Step 1: I started with a personal blog…
I am a content marketer, so a blog seemed like the most natural platform for me, but by no means is a blog only fitting for a writer. Whatever your profession or business, a blog or a website is an indispensable platform on which to build your personal brand.
Setting up a blog or a website is only the first step. Next comes promoting it to the right crowd: your potential clients or employers. But in between, you need to work on what you are going to offer your audience.
I started with writing and publishing blog posts based on my experience as a writer. Every post I wrote, I shared via my personal Twitter, Facebook, and Google+ accounts. At first it did not bring immediate results, but I persisted until I was able to generate traffic, and my posts started getting shared across social media channels. (Refer to steps 3 and 4 to see how I built a considerable social media following.)
Step 2: Then I reached out to other blogs
Once my blog was substantially established, I started reaching out to blogs where I could become a contributor and share my knowledge and expertise with their audiences. With this strategy I had two goals in mind:
- To expand my online presence and grow my network as a writer
- To increase the rank of my blog and generate traffic to it
To accomplish these goals I created a four-step plan:
1. Google and list blogs relevant to my field along with their domain authority. Reaching out to blogs with a higher domain authority than mine accomplished my second goal.
2. Select a certain blog (especially ones that allow do-follow links to one’s own site or blog) and research suitable topics to write about. I reached out to blogs with a custom email stating who I was, why I was reaching out, and a list of topic suggestions.
3. Once accepted, write the blog post and submit it for review. I always took care to submit quality pieces that commended myself as a writer, and respected the guidelines of each blog. Any links back to my blog were reserved for the author bio instead of the body of the article.
4. Once published, I shared it via my social channels. Guest blogging can be time-consuming, but done right it can be totally rewarding. It also can significantly increase your (or your business’s) online presence and credibility, and put you in front of your ideal audience. I am now a regular contributor to a number of high-authority blogs, and I need not emphasize what the positive impact it’s had on my personal brand as a writer.
Step 3: Joining LinkedIn helped me get my third job
LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network, and being part of it changed my professional life. Recruiters turn to LinkedIn as a source for potential job candidates, and most recruiters will run the names of potential employees through the network to form an initial opinion of them. Growing my network on LinkedIn took some time, but with LinkedIn it’s not the size of the network that matters, but rather who your connections are.
To find the right connections, you first need to complete your LinkedIn profile: List your professional experience, education, qualifications, skills and accomplishments, and interests. Also share links to your website or blog.
Join LinkedIn Groups and actively engage with other members; within LinkedIn you can join communities of like-minded professionals and expand your network further. Also, share your knowledge by writing and publishing articles on the platform. This is an effective way to get noticed by the right kind of people (like recruiters or clients).
Step 4: I created profiles on other social networks
Today it’s difficult to talk about branding without bringing up social media. Any marketing campaign for a product or service has a separate social media marketing strategy, and your personal brand should too. Social media provides a great outlet to showcase your expertise and build a following (of potential clients).
Similar to LinkedIn, social media platforms have their own unique ways to build a brand:
- Facebook. On Facebook, in addition to your personal account, you have the ability to create a page (this could be based on your website, your blog, or on your business). Through Facebook marketing tactics, such as ads, shareable posts, contests, Q&As, etc. you can increase your following quite easily. Plus, via Facebook Community Pages, you can further expand your reach.
- Google+. Just like Facebook, you can share content that best reflects you and your skills via Google+. And by becoming an active member in relevant communities, you will become known to a wider audience.
- Twitter. With the right followers and the right hashtags, Twitter can be one of the most effective social media channels for your personal branding efforts. Not only can you make connections with top influencers in your industry, but you can attract an audience that will value your opinions and knowledge.
- YouTube. Video has become one of the most effective means of communication today. With a YouTube channel, you can make a greater impact on your audience than with any other platform.
Remember to maintain a current profile on all your social media channels, and link to all the channels from your blog and site. Also, if you write guest posts, be sure to include links to your social media profiles in your author’s bio.
And I continue to learn…
Whatever your field of expertise, it is bound to change and evolve. As someone trying to build a strong personal brand, keeping in touch with new trends and techniques is of utmost importance to stay relevant.
I’m constantly reading articles and books written by experts in my industry. I try out new things that I learn and share things with my audience through my blog and social media channels. Learning new things and constantly evolving is how I maintain and tend to my personal brand.
About the Author
Post by: Amanda Athuraliya
Amanda Athuraliya is the communication specialist/content writer at Cinergix, the team behind the development of Creately Flowchart Software. She is an avid reader, a budding writer, and a passionate researcher who loves to write about all kinds of topics.
Company: Cinergix
Website: www.creately.com
Connect with me on LinkedIn.
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