What is personal branding?
You probably hear the word “branding” several times a day. It’s become one of the most common topics in entrepreneurship — and for good reason.
Branding isn’t just another example of marketing jargon. It’s actually critical to your online presence and the success of your business.
You may have thought about your company brand, but what about your personal brand? Even if you are not trying to create a personal brand, it already exists if you are active online.
We are passionate about branding because we believe that it is essential for anyone in the knowledge-based business market to master and control their personal brand.
Many different factors contribute to a personal brand, from how you communicate online to the types of stories you tell. It can also incorporate visual variables, such as the photographs you post and the types of graphics you use.
But what is personal branding? And how do you get the most out of it?
That’s what we’re going to discuss today.
What is personal branding?
Personal branding is the process of establishing your public persona for your target audience. It’s about carefully and accurately communicating your values, beliefs, goals and purpose.
Think about the public image of some of the biggest brands. Nike, for example, has built a brand around celebrating athletes, creating high-performance products, and supporting consumers who want to lead an active lifestyle.
You’ll see examples of these brand factors and everything Nike stands for, from its magazine and TV ads to its social media profiles.
This is exactly the approach you need to take to create a personal brand. You may not be running magazine ads or creating TV spots, but you need to think about how your personal brand is represented when you communicate with your audience online.
Why should you create your personal brand?
A personal brand exists whether or not you create it for yourself. When you publish a blog post, for example, you reveal aspects of your personality to the people who read it.
Your personal brand is built around the content you publish, whether it’s social or search advertising, blog posts or webinars.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Personal <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/branding?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#branding</a> is the process of establishing your public persona for your target audience. It's about carefully and accurately communicating your values, beliefs, goals and purpose.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MwanaMayela?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MwanaMayela</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/personalbranding?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#personalbranding</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/marketing?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#marketing</a></p>— Prince Youlou 🚀 Niochi (@PrinceYoulou) <a href="https://twitter.com/PrinceYoulou/status/1428621833818058759?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 20, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Taking control of your personal brand, on the other hand, puts you in the driver’s seat. You can control the narrative and show your audience what you want them to see.
It’s not about being fake. You are not creating a character for a movie. Instead, you are choosing aspects of your own personality and presenting yourself in the best light possible to achieve your business goals for knowledge.
Prince Youlou is the CEO of Niochi, a startup with a mission to make people feel at home anywhere in Africa. He has a great passion for building and managing websites and creating helpful content.
