So you have made your footprints in the digital sands, however, is that enough?
In today’s age and time, every person (even a small child) has a digital imprint. In the current scenario, your online image is what you are perceived to be. Having a presence online will not make you a brand. It requires all the cunningness to build a winning personal brand that puts you in the right light.
So, who are you?
The first step towards branding is deciding what you want to showcase yourself as? Do you want to be seen as a subject expert, or an entrepreneur, or someone who can turn around drowning businesses into profit making centers.
Once you know, employ consistent strategy across channels to showcase your strengths and achievements in the light of your projected image. For example, overhaul the web space – delete profiles that still reflect you as the ‘Technical Supervisor’ while you head the production.
See where you stand
It is a good idea to search your name on Google and see where you stand. It is only when you know the current position that you can strategise for the future. Check if you are saying the same story on every social platform. Are you sure that your name search doesn’t lead to links that put you in a bad light or if you are tagged in any objectionable pictures? Something that makes you look lesser than your professional image?
Also, having your own website is a good way to rank up in search engines – a small description of yourself, your resume and links to your social media profiles could also suffice. Presence is merely creating profiles on various social platforms, from Alibaba to Facebook to Pintrest to Tinder. Branding not only ensures that you are amongst the top few people on Google on a preferred keyword search – it also makes sure that you look good up there.
Thoughts you share
Every post, thought, tweet shared by you online goes into building your personal brand. The brand YOU is a sum total of every little thing you do online (including your social media profiles!). So be careful in what you post and refrain from sharing mundane things. As they say, image is everything.
Connect
A man is known by the friends he keeps. Well, a brand is known by the other brands it associates with. Make strong connections – the college you attended, the groups you contribute to, your company and your colleagues. Contribute posts to public forums to make your brand known.
Remember, it is not enough to be just present! More people lose professional opportunities not because they are not adequately present on the web space, but because they are presented in a less impressive manner.
