SEO, Branding, and Your Career
As a personal branding consultant, I frequently field questions about what branding is and how to effectively execute a personal branding strategy. Branding embodies the captivating experience you curate and the lasting impression you leave upon every interaction. It becomes a powerful essence that defines your identity in the minds of those with whom you engage. Why is it so important to have a strong brand? In this ever-evolving world of work, the paradigm of lifetime employment with a single company has shifted. Embracing this new reality, it becomes imperative to adopt the mindset of a CEO for your own career, strategically marketing your most vital product—YOU. By taking charge of your professional journey and proactively shaping your personal brand, you pave the way for limitless opportunities and extraordinary growth.
Creating a successful personal branding strategy has three main components: Content, Context, and Consistency.
Content
Content is anything you create that communicates a message about who you are. With the advent of social media, anyone can create and share content. The content that you create and share enables you to be an authoritative voice on your subject. Think about:
What am I good at?
What do I love and value?
What makes me unique?
In what areas do I need improvement?
If you are a great writer, you could blog about your industry. If you’re really into the latest gadgets, you could do video reviews of new technology. Maybe the special thing about you is that you can succinctly communicate your ideas. If that’s you, you should try Twitter!
Context
You’ve got great content, but you need to know when, where, why, how, and to whom you should deliver it. That’s where context comes in. In this digital age, we all have unprecedented amounts of user data. Understanding your users—irrespective of the manner in which they consume your content—is key to marketing your product. In the case of personal branding, the product is you, your expertise, and your unique value. Contextual positioning can help ensure that your content is useful and that it conveys what your market values.
Consistency
Content and context lay a strong foundation, yet their true impact is realized through unwavering consistency. Beyond the regular dissemination of content establishing a sense of expectation in your market, consistency necessitates that each piece is relevant, intriguing, timely, and captivating. Outdated and irrelevant materials hold no allure, and tedious content can swiftly turn away even the most eager audience. Embracing the harmony of consistency and excellence, your content will flourish, leaving a lasting impression and fostering genuine engagement with your target audience.
I have a client who is a senior-level marketing professional. Her most unique skill is that she is a fantastic writer, whose writing is not only clear and understandable, but her style is also entertaining. She began blogging about trends that she observed in her field, and posting it on LinkedIn (Content). She also joined several LinkedIn groups for digital and product marketers, and began sharing her articles in those groups, as well as tweeting her followers when a new article publishes (Context). She posts one article per week, and has grown her Twitter following by 300% in 12 months (Consistency).
The bottom line
Personal branding represents a comprehensive and finely crafted content marketing program centered on your unique identity and core values. Leveraging the power of social media, you possess dynamic platforms to establish and amplify your brand like never before. By embracing these invaluable tips, you can unleash the full potential of your personal brand and elevate your impact to new heights. Own your narrative, seize every opportunity, and watch your influence soar in the digital landscape. Your personal brand is the key to unlocking extraordinary possibilities—so seize the moment and let your brilliance shine!