Personal Branding - What does it mean and why is it so important?

 Personal Branding

What does it mean and why is it so important?


                                                                                                                Photo by Olya Kobruseva from Pexels

If you want to be seen as an expert in your industry, building a trustworthy and reputable personal brand can set you apart from others in your space.

Wikipedia defines personal branding as “the conscious and intentional effort to create and influence public perception of an individual by positioning them as an authority in their industry…”.

By defining the problem that you’re looking to solve as a starting point, you can begin to build a community around your personal brand.Adam Smiley Polwski, author of The Breakthrough Speaker, says “Carve a niche, and then carve a niche within your niche. The best personal brands are very specific”.1


So, for example, if you’re a building a brand as the top lawyer in town, start by shouting about what specifically it is that you do best. This can be done by sharing stories, case studies and testimonials through your website, social media and word of mouth.

“Research shows that messages delivered as stories can be up to 22 times more memorable than just facts”.2


Social Media and Blogging

Social media has become a gigantic platform with endless opportunities for those wanting to grow and build a personal brand.

                                                                                                                Photo by freestocks.org from Pexels

Important questions to ask yourself: Who are your target audience? Which platform/s are you most likely to reach them in the most engaging way? Have you defined your value proposition?

Gary Vaynerchuk is a prime example of a successful entrepreneur who has used social media to boost his own personal brand. With over 4.7 million followers on Facebook alone, Gary says “if you want to be heard on social media, you have to put out a LOT of content. You should be doing a podcast at least once a week. You should be posting on Instagram and Snapchat at least 6-7 times a day”. 3

Creating your own blog will allow you to engage and delight your audience with content that is unique to you. Make it inspiring, include infographics and be genuine. Blogs are a great way to improve SEO on your website, ensuring that the content you are posting is highly relevant to the the terms people are searching for.

Back linking can also play a vital part in building your reputation. By asking other people or companies to include links to your blog posts on their websites, you’re increasing your reputation and search engine ranking. ‘Shout Me Loud’ says, “If your content is getting links from other sites, that content will naturally start to rank higher in the search results”. 4

Podcasts

Furthermore, Podcasts are a time and cost-efficient way to showcase yourself and your expertise. According to Statista, the global community of podcast listeners was around 480 million in 2020, and could reach 800 million by 2025.5  Podcasts are fun, engaging, and are a great way to get your name and face out there, particularly when honing in on a particular topic – or in other words, “Podcasting is the new networking”. 6

One prime example of using podcasts to amplify a personal brand is Joe Rogan – an American UFC commentator come podcaster. Started in 2003 with a friend, Rogan focussed on big (and sometimes controversial) topics to get noticed. He now features some of the world’s most influential celebrities, experts and politicians. By April 2019 Joe said that his podcast had reached 190 million downloads per month.7

Here's an example one of Rogan’s recent motivational talks:

                                                       https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4taz6dfPQc              

Nick Vujicic, “The Man with No Arms or Legs” embraced his disability and challenged diversity by launching his own personal brand to help others. Through his presence on social media, news channels, radio, and in particular his YouTube channel he has become a well-known inspirational figure.

                                                        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBCfxhyEDB0 

In summary, by using multiple platforms and being consistent with your messaging, you can start to evolve your personal brand. Ask your audience questions, interact on social media and engage with your followers regularly to build upon your community.


References:

1: Goldie Chan Nov 2018, 10 Golden Rules of Personal Branding, Forbes, viewed 5th November 2021 <https://www.forbes.com/sites/goldiechan/2018/11/08/10-golden-rules-personal-branding/?sh=7374cb8c58a7>

2: Noah Zandan 2021, Does Telling Stories Really Make you 22 Times More Memorable? Quantified.ai, viewed 9th November 2021 < https://www.quantified.ai/blog/storytelling-22-times-more-memorable#:~:text=Research%2520shows%2520that%2520messages%2520delivered,may%2520be%2520a%2520bit%2520hyperbolic>

3. Gary Vaynerchuk July 2018, 15 tips on how to brand yourself online, viewed 9th November 2021 < https://www.garyvaynerchuk.com/5-strategies-for-personal-branding-online/ >

4. Harsh Agrawal Aug 2020, What Are Backlinks in SEO & What Are The Advantages of Backlinks? Shout Me Loud, viewed 9th November 2021 <https://www.shoutmeloud.com/backlink.html >

5. Statista Research Department Mar 2021, Podcasting worldwide – Statistics and Facts, viewed 8th November 2021 < https://www.statista.com/topics/7662/podcasting-worldwide/ >

6. Stephanie Burns Sept 2020, 3 Lucrative Hidden Benefits of Podcasting, Forbes, viewed 5th November 2021 < https://www.forbes.com/sites/stephanieburns/2020/09/23/3-lucrative-hidden-benefits-of-podcasting/?sh=5bc71b185b94 >

7. Marcus, Aubrey (April 17, 2019). "Aubrey Marcus Podcast #200 - Joe Rogan on Choosing Your Struggle"

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Netflix and their Marketing Mix

Image
  Netflix: What People Mean to Them                                                             Photo by freestocks.org on Unsplash Netflix has become a household name with over 204 million subscribers at the end of 2020. Given that their product is available in 190 countries, their domination of the video streaming market comes as no surprise. People and their viewing behaviours are what Netflix thrive on, so it is imperative that they keep their customers engaged by providing new, exciting and relevant content that is easily accessible.                                                        ...
Read more

Inbound Marketing Methods - GoPro and Spotify's Strengths and Weaknesses

Image
Inbound Marketing methods used by GoPro and Spotify Laura Mills, October 2021 Image: CS Designworks Inbound Marketing is an effective way to attract people to your product or brand, enabling them to "opt in" to your marketing through valuable content. Let's look at what some of the big brands such as GoPro and Spotify do to attract their customers... GoPro – Their Approach GoPro are manufacturers of an action camera – their strapline being “The world’s most versatile cameras”. That in itself is a bold statement, designed not only to intrigue potential buyers but to boost recognition and reputation of their brand. At the end of 2020, GoPro released “ GoPro: Best of 2020 ” through their YouTube channel which has had over 1.3 million views. Through showcasing these videos obtained by users via a 3-minute video, this allows them to create an incredible amount of user-generated PR. In short, the product is able to advertise itself and attract new customers.         ...
Read more

The Evolution of the Internet - What Impact is it Having on Our Lives?

 The Evolution of the Internet - What Impact is it Having on Our Lives? Digital technology has had a huge impact on our lives since the internet took off in the 1990s. Access to the internet was once a slow dial-up connection – linked to your home phone line. Some of us remember “that unique tone” and how it would so frequently cut out! I remember not being able to use the landline phone and the internet in one house at the same time (and that doesn't even feel very long ago!). Over recent years, access to the internet has become a household and workplace necessity. Being able to connect with friends and family via video on the other side of the globe via a mobile device would have seemed an impossibility not so long ago – now even our young children are able to video call grandparents at the click of a button.   So where did it all start? In the 1960’s the internet was used primarily by the government for research labs and military communications. Fast forward 20 years, 1st...
Read more