Personal branding will be a key to success in 2024. Because consumers desire authenticity and connection, they want to do business with people rather than companies.
How you present yourself to your audience is your personal branding. This image links specific feelings, values, and expectations to you as an individual.
Personal branding should emphasize your human side. Highlighting your personality and voice sets you apart from other professionals. These elements contribute to business success throughout your career.
Discover what personal branding is and why it will be a key to success in 2024.
Components of personal branding
Personal branding includes multiple components:
- Personality: You might be energetic, laid back, or formal.
- Voice and values: What you believe and talk about.
- Authenticity: Aligning your online image with who you truly are.
- Creativity: Having a creative trademark helps you stand out.
- Content: What you promote to increase your following. How you present your messages, such as through education or entertainment.
Why personal branding matters
Personal branding is important for a variety of reasons:
- Standing out from the crowd helps you build something apart from yourself.
- Differentiating yourself helps attract your audience’s limited attention.
- Demonstrating your personality helps attract like-minded followers.
- Showing your brand helps create trust and make meaningful connections.
- Creating a compelling brand helps build your audience.
- Connecting with your audience helps you understand their challenges and needs.
Steps for personal branding
- Personal branding starts with knowing where your brand currently is. Having followers provides validation that what you do provides value for others.
Focus on the following areas to see where your brand is:
- Your number of followers
- Where you’re most active
- Where your audience is most active
- Which communities can help increase your audience
- What your goals are, such as for followers, traffic, or conversions
Use your findings to prioritize growth on one network at a time.
- Find ways to provide value to your audience. The value you provide depends on your industry and audience.
You might share new ideas and resources with the following methods:
- Educational content such as tips, tutorials, and how-tos
- Personal experiences and anecdotes
- Ratings or reviews of products or services that are relevant to your audience
- Original art or music
- New opinions and perspectives
- Motivational content
Regularly sharing valuable content provides a reason for people to follow you.
- Regularly put yourself out there. You might use any of these methods:
- Consistently create, share, and comment on content.
- Schedule and cross-post your content.
- Include in your content consistent logos, color schemes, and other creatives.
- Respond to comments on your content.
- Prioritize relatability, authenticity, and trust. Share content and experiences that resonate with your audience. Examples include challenges you overcame and resources to solve a problem.
- Set boundaries for personal branding. Determine what you do and don’t want to share.
Are you looking for help with personal branding?
Let BARQAR’s team of creative strategists and designers construct a compelling, engaging experience that helps tell YOUR story. Contact us today for a free estimate!
