The power of social media is truly unprecedented. It has gone from a means to connect with old friends and family to a powerhouse of utility, business, and exposure.
Social media is capable of so much more than the countless posts we see, hits of dopamine we enjoy, and hours we spend doing so. Social networks now drive change and influence the world around us. This is no small feat and one can truly marvel at all that they are capable of.
There are billions of people using social networks at any time of the day. This includes Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Snapchat, and Weibo. Some people endlessly scroll, some make posts, and some create content.
Regardless of what they do, there is limitless potential in social media owing to its diverse functionality and gargantuan consumption base.
Naturally, the world caught on to this, and social media is a key tool for a variety of different purposes. In the context of this article, we will stick to its ability to help us create a personal brand.
Creating a personal brand is important in the digital landscape that we belong to. Nowadays, whether you are looking for a job or networking for your business, having a personal brand is important. Since the entire world is connected to the world wide web, it is important that we create the right image for ourselves.
Social Media & Your Personal Brand
Your personal brand is what you want the world to look at you as. When contemplating your personal brand, think of the impression you wish to leave in the eyes of others. You do this by deliberating on yourself and what you want. One way to go about this is by deciding what you want them to see.
If you are a pastry chef, what would you want people to see? Your expertise, your talent, your experience, your online presence, and a way to contact you. It would suit you well to create a presence on social media that would allow you to constantly put out content and interact with people online.
Platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok are ideal to get started. You will eventually learn the ropes, and continuously improve yourself.
The beauty of all this is the ability to leverage countless resources out there. Creating a personal brand on social media is incredibly simple. It isn’t easy, but it’s also not impossible.
Regardless of what you offer, you need to first pick a social network to work with. For the most part, all social networks are the offering, only packaged differently, and with a few different functions here and there. However, you need to start somewhere.
Our pastry chef can start by creating short videos on TikTok and uploading them daily. As TikTok managed to master the bite-size video format, you could also choose between 15-second, 30-second, and up to 3-minute long videos to work with.
Someone with proficiency in the written word card can start a blog or newsletter and use Twitter to garner an audience. They can subsequently divert traffic toward other social media sites or even affiliate links to make money.
When wanting to grow a personal brand, it is important to follow a few key principles to implement across the board. Since there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to this, we cannot create a template for everyone to follow.
A personal brand is essentially your way of presenting your credentials to the rest of the world.
If you want to create a public profile for yourself, you need to get your profiles in order. For a professional first impression, it would help you to get a professional portrait taken preferably in a professional outfit.
This picture can be used across different social media platforms. Since our picture is the first thing a person sees, using a professionally taken one can serve you well.
Next, you can ensure that there is no clutter or controversial content that you wouldn’t want. We are all entitled to our personal opinions but when creating a personal brand, you need to ensure that you present yourself adequately.
Let us get into the different areas that need work when it comes to building your personal brand.
Consistency
In any area of life, one of the most underappreciated tools for success is consistency. Since social media uses different engagement-based algorithms, it is important to constantly work with it. One of the best ways to do so is by remaining consistent with your content.
Create a schedule based on what works for you and the type of content you work with. For example, a blogger can put out multiple posts a week, sometimes even daily. A YouTube or TikTok creator may do so 3-5 times a week.
As long as you are creating content and uploading it consistently, the brand will continue to grow. Besides the consistency of uploads, you need to remain consistent with the content you create.
Content
It is common knowledge that content is king. When it comes to social media, you need to ensure you do not compromise on quality. Since there is so much content to go around, low-quality content will rarely get the audience it wants.
It is important to note that you cannot be perfect at it from the get-go. However, since there are many different examples online, do your research to see what works. Start by generally skimming over different forms of content.
Next, analyze what your niche is working with i.e. platform, content type, and frequency. It is also important to note that you do not need to reinvent the wheel, you only need to give your own twist to it. If you are unsure of where or how to start, follow what other creators are doing because there is a reason they are getting the traction they are.
For a personal brand, it is important for the content to be good. Create content with the intent of showcasing who you are, what your values are, and what your audience wants to see. Catering to the audience is also important. Unless you create something earth-shattering, you need to leverage what the audience wants and needs.
Audience
A personal brand is created with the intention of catering to an audience. This audience could be clients for your business, hiring professionals, or your subscribers that consume your content. These are the people that take out the time to see what you create.
They interact with the content by liking, commenting, sharing, and boosting your engagement. Some of these are regulars, others are simply passing by. Do your research on what the audience for your niche is like, what their standards are, what sort of content makes them stick, and how must one interact with such an audience.
When using social media to build a personal brand, it is important that you use different techniques to build a relationship. This includes replying to comments, creating interactive content, offering a free e-book on your skill, and creating a Facebook group, or Discord server to work with. There are countless different ways for you to leverage an audience to create a personal brand.
One example would be for you to create a post where people comment on their occupations so people can create meaningful connections. Not only will you get interactions on social media, but you will also create new connections. You never know who might consume your content and it is entirely possible to meet new people to learn new things.
Adaptation
Social media is one of the most dynamic landscapes out there. You have all sorts of content, creators, niches, and trends. These are constantly evolving and in the process of building a personal brand, it is important that you do so as well. If social media is your tool of preference, you need to use it right. Naturally, it takes trial and several errors but as long as you learn from your mistakes you will be good.
Social media is one of the most powerful and dynamic tools of the modern age. Using only a computer and internet connection, you can gain access to thousands of tools and billions of people. If you opt for AT&T internet, this entire process becomes effortless.
Spectrum’s reliable, quick, and diverse offerings ensure there is something for everyone to work with. To get on board, click here to get in touch with customer service.
Conclusion
In the modern age, it is imperative that you work with the tools that are on offer. Social media is one of the most dominant and effective assets out there for anyone willing to build a personal brand. It is important to ensure that people see you in the right light.
This helps when starting a business, getting hired by a top employer, creating a network to learn from and leverage, or putting out content. Focus on quality as well as quality, do your research, play to your strengths, and also show people what they want to see.