Show your personal brand on LinkedIn
LinkedIn is the most widely used professional social media channel worldwide. It is the perfect platform for showcasing yourself as a professional, helping you create business opportunities, such as finding clients or a new job. With a strong personal brand, you present yourself and demonstrate why people should choose you. We provide you with some tips on how to use LinkedIn to build a strong and unique personal brand.
What is a personal brand?
A personal brand showcases who you are, what you stand for, and how you differentiate yourself from others. It is essential to be authentic because only by truly being yourself can you create a strong and unique brand.
A personal brand answers the following questions:
– Who am I?
– What do I stand for?
– What do I bring?
– What makes me unique?
The way you communicate should align seamlessly with these answers. If you present something different, you risk your message not resonating with the target audience or, even worse, not being taken seriously. Therefore, always be consistent and stay true to your principles.
Show yourself on LinkedIn
Once you have a clear personal brand, it’s time to present it to the world. LinkedIn is a powerful medium for doing just that. Below, we provide you with some tips.
Optimize your LinkedIn profile
An optimized profile gives a clear picture of who you are and what you do, contributing to your online visibility.
Visitors to your profile will judge you based on the information available there. So, it is essential to make it as complete and honest as possible. Use a professional photo and banner that align with your identity.
With a brief and compelling summary, you can tell others who you are, what your ambitions are, and what motivates you. Consider it as a pitch where you define your brand. This can be achieved by mentioning unique qualities or anecdotes. Dare to stand out and show your personality.
Expand your network
A strong network enhances the visibility of your brand, making it easier for recruiters, potential clients, and new colleagues to find you.
Therefore, seek out connections to expand your network. Who can you invite? Start with (former) colleagues, classmates, and acquaintances such as family, friends, neighbors, and people you know from sports clubs, for example. Also, invite people you have worked with in the past or from whom you have used services or products.
Follow interesting profiles and companies
Stay up-to-date with trends, developments, and news in your field by following relevant individuals, companies, and groups.
This way, your LinkedIn feed will be filled with interesting content to which you can respond and start discussions. This can attract the attention of others on LinkedIn and help you share your message and become visible within new and relevant networks.
By following companies and organizations that interest you, you can stay informed about their activities. This can assist you in finding new opportunities, collaborations, and/or jobs.
Be active
By being actively present on LinkedIn, you show that you are there and what you stand for. This is achieved by engaging with other people’s content and by sharing your own content.
For instance, write about trends, developments, and updates in your field, the projects you’re working on, or interesting news you’ve come across.
The more active you are, the higher your visibility becomes, and the more people, even outside your network, will come into contact with your brand and the message you communicate.
Stick to your brand values
When you’re active on LinkedIn, it’s crucial to align your communication with your brand values. Consider the message you want to convey and how it fits with your brand.
Above all, be yourself and be consistent. Only then can you build a strong personal brand.
Would you like to learn more about branding? Listen to or watch the episode “All about branding with Denise Klootwijk” of our podcast. (Only available in Dutch.)
