Steps to Building Your Personal Brand on Social Media

Social networks have long been a powerful tool for any business. You can easily increase sales and company awareness using them. But it is also important to understand that you create and share a certain image of your persona (or brand persona) and which your audience will remember, and often such perception influences the purchase decision. Back in 1997, the famous American writer and business guru from Baltimore, Thomas J. Peters, coined the term “personal brand”. In ‘The Brand Called You’ he noted that a man does not belong to any company, he is not defined by his task, and he himself is a brand. “We are the leaders of our own companies: to be in business today, our most important job is to become the chief marketer of the brand called “You,” Tom wrote. Now, in the era of the Internet and social media, this idea is more relevant than ever. So, your personal brand is what people see in you.

What does it mean branding yourself on social media?

In fact, everyone who starts a social media account – whether it is personal or business one – creates a personal brand. Even if you do not use a social platform to promote your products and services, you talk about yourself and communicate with others. This is the image that you project into the world, those sides of your personality that you are ready to reveal to others. The most striking examples of personal brands in the social networks are the pages of various celebrities. Who needs a personal brand? It is fair to say that everyone: from business owners to freelancers. Building a brand through social media is a powerful strategy in today’s digital age, which allows you to connect with your target audience, showcase your values, and establish a strong online presence. However, you cannot create a personal brand overnight: this process requires constant effort and the right combination of tactics. Let’s look at the key steps that will help you grow your personal brand in social media; make it strong, memorable and attractive.

How to use social media effectively to build your brand?

1. Define your brand personality.
   Before you start using social media, clarify your brand identity. Understand your mission, values, unique selling proposition and target audience. This will help you to create a unified message and tone of voice across all social media platforms. Determine what makes you unique and how you want to be known. Create a clear and concise personal brand statement that reflects who you are and what you offer.
2. Choose social media platforms that match your target audience and the type of content you want to share.
   Focus on a few platforms initially so you don’t spread yourself too thin. Find out which platforms your target audience visits the most.
3. Optimize your profiles.
   Use a single, recognizable profile picture and username across all platforms so people can easily recognize you. Write a compelling and informative biography that reflects your brand’s personality. Use relevant keywords to improve discoverability. Optimizing your social media pages can help increase your visibility in search engine results.
4. Develop a content strategy that matches your brand identity, highlights your experience, and resonates with your target audience.
   Content is the main tool for building a personal brand in social networks. Posts, photos, videos, notes should be systematic and thoughtful. Develop a content plan indicating the frequency, regularity, topics and key ideas of publications. Work with a variety of formats such as text, images, videos, and infographics and use relevant hashtags and keywords in your posts to increase their reach. To automate posting you can use some of delayed publishing services, such as Buffer, Hootsuite, and SMMPlanner.
5. Develop a consistent visual style by using the same colors, fonts, and design elements in your messages.
   Use high quality images and graphics that match your brand identity. This is critical to leaving a positive impression on the audience.
6. Be involved and interact.
   Social media is a two-way street. Engage with your audience by quickly responding to comments, messages, and mentions. Initiate conversations, ask questions, and encourage feedback. This creates a sense of community around your brand. Interact with other users’ content by commenting and sharing related posts. Participate in relevant discussions and online communities to establish your authority.
7. Collaborate with influencers, other brands, or experts in your industry to expand your reach.
   Attend online events, webinars, and networking opportunities to connect with like-minded people. A partnership can help you reach a wider audience and build trust.
8. Monitor and analyze to track the effectiveness of both your content and strategy.
   Use analytics tools provided by social media platforms to track the performance of your posts. Analyze metrics such as engagement, reach, and subscriber growth to improve your tactics.
9. Adapt and evolve.
   Stay up to date with trends and changes on social media platforms. Constantly adapt your personal social media strategy based on data-driven insights. Consider investing in paid social media advertising. Platforms offer targeted advertising options that allow you to reach specific demographics, interests, and behaviors. This can accelerate the growth of your brand.
10. Be sincere and transparent in your interactions and content.
    Share your successes and challenges to make your brand more humane.

Remember, the key to successful brand building on social media is authenticity, meaningful engagement, and delivering value to your audience. Adapt your approach as needed and always strive to provide your followers with a positive and memorable experience. All of the above shows that social media and personal branding are increasingly important for businesses and professionals and can be regarded as one of the most profitable investment in the future. If you are not sure where to start or how to market yourself on social media, Klik Digital is here to help. We work with various industries and businesses of different scales. From Marketing for Law Firms to Marketing for health care firms we are accountable for results and boost your online success. Contact us to build and grow your brand with Klik Digital!