How to Build Your Personal Brand Online

Leading with your personal brand is more effective than leading with the nuts and bolts of your product or service.

We are all familiar with the big brands – Coke and Jeep are just two examples. And a brand is so much more than just a logo or a name.

What comes to mind when you think “Jeep”. I imagine something rugged and outdoorsy. It has a personality of its own. So, what do you envision when you think about a Ferrari? I think of something racy and sporty. The key is that you associate that brand with certain feelings – with what it represents.

What does your personal brand represent?

What do you stand for and want to portray? How do you want people to feel when they think of your personal brand? And most importantly, what need are you fulfilling for those you will be marketing to?

For us, our brand represents leadership, inspiration and hope. Those are the three main characteristics of our brand. We use our personal names as our brand, but some people give themselves some sort of character name – like The Marketing Superhero or something like that – lol

Do you already know what your brand represents? If not, go ahead and think of three words that signify your brand. Get it clear in your mind so you will have a solid starting point. This makes the rest of the process a lot easier.

Setting up an online presence that portrays your personal brand

Now that you know what your personal brand represents, you are ready to get started with online branding. First, you should set up a blog or a website (we recommend self-hosted WordPress blogs). This blog will be a representation of yourself and the value you have to offer.  In the header area of your blog (the top) you will have a graphic that gives the blog and your brand a personality. This is where you need to be creative and really set the tone of your brand.

In your banner, you should include what the site and your brand is all about. For example, in ours we tell the reader that this blog focuses on internet marketing, but we also included the words “inspire, create, succeed” to add more of our own personal style to the site.

Now that you have your blog set up, go ahead and set up a Facebook fan page, a YouTube channel, a Google Plus page, and a Twitter account. You will use all of these tools to syndicate your content and to gain more exposure for your brand. It’s a good idea to keep your brand representation pretty consistent across all of these social media outlets – that helps to engrave your brand into the minds of your readers and followers.

Marketing your personal brand

Now that you have your blog and social media sites set up, it’s time to drive traffic to your content. But first and foremost, make sure that you are offering good quality content – content that your target audience is searching for. Make sure they are thirsty for what you have to offer! People are looking for solutions, so make sure you research to find out exactly what they need.

There are many marketing options for your personal brand. There are free methods and paid methods. One free method is networking on social media sites – you can go to groups that are interested in what you have to offer. When you do this, make sure you lead with value. There are many other free methods available as well. You can also use paid advertising methods with a little bit of training. The methods are virtually endless, so it’s best for you to start out with one or two methods to focus on initially.

Are you are ready to build and promote your personal brand online? Click here to check out a system we use to market our business online – and become a part of an entrepreneurial movement!

To Your Success!

David and Tara Walker

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“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Tagged as: brand yourself online, build your brand, personal brand, personal branding online