Are you #OnBrand ?
Everyone has a personal brand- stories, character traits, style, and imagery associated with them. Like any corporate brand, people can learn about you from a simple google search. Most people don’t individually have personalized websites describing their brand to the world. However, 78% of Americans use a social media platform where they share their activities, ideas, and opinions.
So how is your brand defined? Your online brand is a conglomerate of the content you create and share via the internet. Even if you aren’t a professional marketer, every time you write any post on Facebook, you suddenly become a content creator.
How do you make sure you’re positively branded online? It is necessary that all social media users first brainstorm what they want their digital brand to be, before posting online.
This week, I did an exercise in creating content, where I posted to Facebook every day. My first step was to decide what I want my personal brand to be. The chart shows what I want to portray with my content creation. I want my online brand to show that I am optimistic, artistic, studious, and innovative. I also want to demonstrate that my interests are technology, dance, and being active.
First I began by sharing some news in my life, because I recently accepted a job with Cisco. Social media is an excellent place to share when you reach your professional or personal goals. Not only will you receive comments of encouragement, but also possible influencers in your career may see your updates. It’s best to share such posts on Facebook and LinkedIn. Adding a photo to any post is wise so that you captures attention. This post received engagement from 455 people, which is 27% of my entire Facebook audience.
Next, I wanted to explore posting on social media with different mediums of technology. New 360 degree technology allows you to capture a view from every angle. The technology is simple, and anyone can create a 360 degree image with a smartphone and the free Google Street View app. I posted the 360 image below in order to show my interest in outdoor activities, physical fitness, and new technologies.
Video content is also an excellent way to engage with your audience. While it is more difficult to get views on videos, typically if someone does watch your video content, you will leave an impression. I posted a video of a dance piece that I choreographed this year, demonstrating my creativity and leadership. I also used this opportunity to thank and acknowledged everyone I worked with in this production. By tagging specific people in posts, I strengthened 1:1 relationships to stay connected. This post received the least likes of all my posts, but it had the highest number of shares. The comments and shares were only made by people I tagged, which is acceptable because they were my specific target.
For my last post of the week, I learned how to use a new application called Photofy. This application was created by a startup in Raleigh, North Carolina and allows users to easily collage and edit photos. Users can also upload their brand image to the app, then add the logo to photos conveniently. I combined 3 images together that I took for a project in my Social Media class in my Global Luxury Management (GLM) master’s program. I was also able to easily add the pre-loaded logo of the GLM program to my photo too. This post fits my personal brand because it shows that I am up to date with new technologies. Also, I used the opportunity to share about some of my academic studies.
Overall, my content creation experiment made me contemplate how I portray myself on social media. I’m sure you’ve heard the saying that “Social media is forever” and anything you post can- and will- come back to haunt you. Instead of worrying how a future boss may view your party photos and political comments, keep your social media #OnBrand.
I suggest that you outline what you want your brand to be. Contemplate how you want to be perceived online. Then, use your social channels to define yourself as you want to be seen.
Happy posting!
This post was created as part of the Global Luxury Management Program at the NC State Poole School of Management. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
#NCStateGLM #LuxeMarketing #SocialMedia John Andrews #SocialContent
