If you are not on social media then you are missing out on opportunities for jobs, clients, partnerships and the ability to expand your reach to a wider audience for your area of expertise.
The fact that you are reading this post is you are already on to a good start! However, be present on a couple of social platforms so you can increase presence with your online real estate.
“How can I build my online presence... I want to attract an audience and create a personal brand but have no idea where to start.”
Most of people are unsure of where to begin or improve when it comes to having an online or social presence. We all get the basics of setting up an online profile, but does it represent your brand well and does it stand out or look professional enough?
Here are a few suggestions to help you -
Your name - is an important factor when it comes to your brand and if people don't remember your name then your have failed at the first hurdle...
You need to own your online real estate such as your name online, social handles or your own URL. Use your full name and if it's taken then use some combination of it.
Your social profile photo - should be the same image across all your social touch points and use a professional photograph that brands you well. If you are using different images on your platforms then you are diluting your brand effect.
Make sure your profile description or positioning statement is up to date, relevant to what you currently do and keep it consistent across your social networks.
To increase visibility blogging can be a great way to form leadership and authority in your field, but blog only if you can regularly deliver value to your audience.
What do you find when you google your name? Hopefully, you should show up on the first page of results, through images, websites, blogs, social media sites, reviews, etc. If you don't then you need to work on increasing your visibility, such as using SEO, keywords, optimising your images, writing blogs, backlinks, and so on.
You should be promoting you own personal brand online even if you have a company brand. So for individuals who do not use their own name for their business - your personal brand may not always be tied to your company brand and if you part ways with that company you need to make sure your personal brand reputation is credible and can stand on it's own.
Make a start now and do an online brand audit for yourself.