Creating Your Personal Brand

woman speaking passionately as peers listen attentively

Have you ever thought of what words might come to mind when people reflect upon who you are as a person and what you represent as an individual? Elements such as your personality traits, likes, dislikes, habits, system of values and experiences are all important areas that may be considered by others when your name is mentioned in conversation.

In the world of Marketing, a combination of these areas creates your personal brand. Your personal brand is your personal story. Your story represents who you are as an individual and highlights your capabilities and areas of expertise through the digital content you produce and showcase publicly. Sharing your story can encourage others (within an employment setting or otherwise), to connect with you and engage further with your material, especially when your content resonates well with their personal preferences. Social media and alternative digital platforms have made it easier than ever for content creators to share their personal brand and media.

Are you interested in establishing your own personal brand? Here are a few tips to keep in mind while you begin brainstorming:

Choose a Consistent Theme to Focus your Content on:

  • An important question to ask yourself is - what topics am I most passionate about? What conversations, past or present, have truly inspired me in a thought-provoking manner, and have fueled substantial discussion? No topics are completely off the table - however, it may be helpful to consider what the impact may be when engaging in more controversial or polarizing topics with your audience.
  • Additionally, as you navigate a theme(s), make sure to keep it consistent, and know your niche - sharing too much irrelevant or off-topic information can cause unnecessary confusion for your audience. 

Formulate a Schedule to Release Content:

  • Are you interested in publishing online articles on LinkedIn or Medium? Photo dumps on Instagram? Starting a video series on YouTube? Releasing a podcast recording on Spotify? Whatever form of media your desired content falls under, it is imperative to ensure that you are consistent in publishing content on either a daily or a weekly basis.
  • Following a release schedule ensures that your social media followers can engage appropriately with your content within a designated timeframe before your next piece is revealed. Following this time frame also demonstrates to your audience that you are willing to produce content in an organized manner and are willing to keep audiences’ eyes peeled for your next creative offering.
  • Check out tools like Later and Hootsuite to support with publishing content on a consistent schedule.

Visible Consistency Across Your Digital/Social Media Platforms:

  • In acknowledging that there are millions of content creators out there publishing content for an extensive viewership worldwide, it is safe to say that many creative content outlets bear various similarities to each other. That being said, ensuring that the minute details on your digital media/social media profiles are consistent across all platforms is imperative towards ensuring that readers are able to distinguish between your designated channels and those belonging to other creators. In developing your individual brand, elements such as your profile picture, logo (if applicable), font styles, sizes and desired colour palettes of use will contribute significantly towards making your digital channel your own.
  • Keep in mind that rather than publishing content on every social media platform within your grasp, sticking with one or two that you enjoy is a realistic choice you may want to consider. After all, quality beats quantity in every capacity!

I hope these tips are useful to you as you begin solidifying your own personal brand. Whether applying these guidelines within digital contexts, or towards your resume and cover letter, ensuring that you are letting your authentic self shine is most important. After all, your personal brand should reflect the values, beliefs, and thoughts of the individual whose work is most important – you!

Want to learn more? Check out this resource:
9 Steps for Building a Personal Brand (With Skills) | Indeed.com Canada

 

Kharishma Chand is a Career Coach on the Student and Graduate Employment Team at Mohawk College. In addition to aiding students in achieving their employment related goals, in her spare time, she enjoys reading, cooking and trying new foods, hiking and exploring the city of Toronto.  

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