The Internet has made personal branding a huge deal: Nowadays everyone can become a micro-celebrity. However, if you care about your professional footprint, personal brand search results and overall image – personal branding is actually a long, continuous process.
Below is a checklist of what needs to be done in order to get your personal brand under control as well as build your name meaningfully.
Personal Brand Building Tips
1. Verify Social Media Profiles
Verified social media profiles stand out in search results and obviously make you look much more professional.
- Facebook: In order to verify your personal Facebook account, Facebook requires a copy of your photo ID.
- Twitter: Twitter verification cannot be associated by the Twitter account holder, so you’ll need to wait to be invited.
- Google+: Right now Google has no verification process for personal profiles (like with Twitter, you need to wait to be invited). But Google Authorship is a way to tie your online presence to Google+.
- Youtube: Linking your YouTube channel with Google’s identity verification platform, Google Plus, verifies your YouTube channel as well (which in turn gives you a pretty badge on your channel page).
2. Claim Custom “Vanity” URLs
If you are wondering why vanity URLs are awesome, you can do some reading here. In a word, vanity URLs are easier to remember and type.
- Facebook: You can set your Facebook vanity URL by going here – facebook.com/username – when being logged in to Facebook. Mind that it can only be done once.
- Google+: If you have 10 or more followers and have been on Google+ for more than 30 days, you can claim your vanity URL there.
- Linkedin: You can set up your vanity URL in the “Edit profile” section. There’s no limit as to how many times you can change it, but better do that once.
3. Build Your Personal Brand Assets
Leaving a trusted footprint online means doing your homework. Every bit counts. Any achievement, contribution or project involvement may become your strong personal brand asset.
Don’t be afraid to share your achievements creating more online presence. As an example, LinkedIn allows you to add your certifications and sites like this one let you add your license and get a profile page on the site
4. Get Interviewed
Blog interviews are by far the most efficient way to get control over your name search results and get established as a niche influencer. It’s not easy if you are just starting out, but here are a few tips to help:
- Give your visitors a hint that you are open for interview opportunities. Many people wouldn’t even think of that until they read a “how to interview me” section of your site.
- Look closely within your niche. There may be sites that publish random interviews from time to time (or even have columns for that). Approach them stating why you could be a good candidate, too.
- Search Google. There are always sites that are looking for success stories and spotlight invites, etc.
Did I miss anything?
Branding Photo via Shutterstock
Keep in mind that an interview doesn’t have to be in person or on the phone either. It can be a few questions sent via email and answered via email. This makes it more convenient for both parties schedules and easy to publish.
The 4 tips in your post if acted upon would immediately propel the personal brand building exercise, Ann. Thanks for sharing!
I’d like to add one more that I suggest to my clients and this relates to the image on one’s social media accounts. To build one’s brand, whether it is as a professional or business person, it is advisable to use the same image across all platforms where one interacts for brand building purposes so that visitors start to recognize the name and face. Setting up a gravatar account with that image is another place for associating the name and face for brand building when leaving comments on other bloggers posts.
Anjali
This is AWESOME! I am currently at the point in my life where I am ready to go full force….reckless abandonment….in all areas of my life, especially my purpose/business. And this certainly helps with continuing to build my foundation to be successful. Thank you ANN!!!