Using Social Media to Build Your Personal Brand: Do’s and Don’ts

Using Social Media to Build Your Personal Brand: Do’s and Don’ts

If you’re committed to advancing your career, it’s important to build your own personal brand. One of the best ways to do this is by using social media. Keep the following do’s and don’ts in mind to successfully promote your professional persona:

  • Do use your unique value proposition to guide your content. In her AdWeek article titled “Personal Branding 101: Social Media Matters—Know How to Fix Yours,” Sherry Gray advises posting content that supports your unique value proposition (UVP). For example, if you’re a cybersecurity professional who specializes in malware protection, then that should be your focus.
  • Don’t go off-topic. Once you’ve defined your UVP, make sure that the content you post is relevant. So if you’re promoting your latest blog about ransomware, don’t suddenly start retweeting your favorite celebrity’s red carpet photos.
  • Do study what thought leaders in your field are doing. Thought leaders get a lot of engagement on social media. Since they typically have teams of people helping them manage their online presence, you can learn a lot from simply following them. Study things like what types of images, stories, or comments they post; how frequently they post them; and how they interact with others. This will help you develop an engaging, strong strategy for your own personal brand.
  • Don’t post the exact same content on every platform. LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Google+ all have different audiences. Give some thought to the best platforms for specific content, as well as the best way to package the content to reach that audience. For example, if you’re taking selfies with other cybersecurity professionals at an IT conference, it’s great content for Twitter—but not for LinkedIn.
  • Do post frequently. It’s important to post often enough to build a following—but don’t overdo it. If you are posting frequently, make sure that what you post is quality content.
  • Don’t forget to interact with others. Liking, reposting, and retweeting posts; answering questions and responding to comments; commenting on other people’s posts; and mentioning other people—these are all things you can do and should be doing. The more engaged you are with others in your field, the more response you’ll get, and the faster your influence will grow.

Refer to these do’s and don’ts to strengthen your personal brand, and don’t give up! Because in the long run, by consistently maintaining your social media presence, you can expand your network, enhance your professional reputation, and attract more and better opportunities.

 

Sources:

https://www.inc.com/christina-desmarais/why-you-need-a-personal-brand-and-how-to-build-it-on-social-media.html
https://www.forbes.com/sites/sujanpatel/2016/11/12/9-ways-to-use-social-media-to-build-your-personal-brand/#3026d37b3520
http://www.adweek.com/digital/sherry-gray-guest-post-personal-branding-101-social-media/