Have you taken a look in the online mirror lately? No, we don’t mean your webcam. We mean your online persona or personal brand. Is it sleek, sharp, sophisticated, or ripe for a PR crisis? Unless you’re a branding guru or have an unfortunate habit of writing scandalous drunk tweets, your personal brand probably sits somewhere in the middle. Fortunately, we’re here to help you develop a killer brand website and make a name for yourself online.
“Why is curating a top-tier online persona so important?” we hear you cry. Here’s the bottom line: if you use the internet to promote your skills, goods, or services (and who doesn’t nowadays?), your online image could make or break your career. While this may sound a little daunting, marketing your unique selling points doesn’t have to be difficult. Read on to discover our top tips for capturing attention online and growing your personal profile with a website.
What is a Brand Identity?
Are you totally new to the concept of brand identity? It’s simple, really. A brand’s identity reflects a cohesive and attractive image to its target audience through a range of different media. It makes a person, brand, or product immediately recognizable to its key consumers, helping to establish feelings of loyalty or admiration.
If you’re not quite sure what your personal brand should look like, remember that you’ve been curating a persona throughout your life. After all, what geeky high schooler hasn’t invested in a swish new pair of shoes and a tube of acne cream to improve their social standing? Developing a strong brand identity is essentially the same thing (minus the awkwardness and anxiety!)
If you think the concept of brand identity sounds a little trivial, think again. The average internet user takes about 0.05 seconds to form an opinion about a website. If they’re not immediately impressed by a brand’s identity, they will almost immediately leave and look elsewhere. In other words, our “always-on” culture has made people increasingly time-poor and impatient, meaning small businesses and online personalities are under pressure to stand out. If you want to get noticed, you need your personal brand to sparkle.
Brand Identity Basics
To ensure your personal brand is a hit, you’ll need to include a few key elements, including:
- A clear purpose: What makes you special? Why have you chosen your particular career path? Whatever the answers, you will need to articulate them clearly via your personal branding. Of course, you can’t simply position yourself as a ruthless professional intent on making money (the villain persona is difficult to pull off!) Instead, you will need to demonstrate how you’re
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This article was written by Kristen Wright and originally published on WordPress News | iThemes Blog.