Personal Branding - What image does your social media reflect?
Today I want to talk about Personal Branding. In the last blog I was talking about SEO, Search Engine Optimization. I left you with a homework assignment to search your name. I found something interesting when I searched my name “Ginger Garvey.” Most of the links I was already aware of, but then I saw this…
I followed the link and found I had received photography credit for one of my pictures which was used for the cover art of the CD.
The other links that appeared were expected, other photo credits for commercial photography, LinkedIn, Facebook, Pinterest, whitepage listings, etc. All links that I agree define my personal brand.
Whether you think you are marketing yourself or not – you are. Personal Branding can help you get a job, be accepted into an organization or college – or not! If someone wants to know something about you, searching your name online is an easy thing to do.
Step one - understanding you are communicating your personal brand, and it is a good idea to look at what you are communicating. Is it the personal brand you want?
I’m happy to repeat my About Me statement:
At the core I’m just another person trying to get the most out of my time here on Earth. I am Ginger, or GG as I’ve been nicknamed most recently - friend, wife, mother, sister, daughter, business owner, service provider, teacher, cook, photographer, and there is very little that I am not interested in and that I have not tried at one point or another.
What will you find online about me? My online content matches my intended personal brand. Here are some key characteristics of my brand and how it is supported online.
Family and friends are important to me – My Facebook page is closed so that only my friends can see it, but I have an extensive network of friends and acquaintances. I am happy to accept friend requests, and my timeline is full of pictures of my friends and family. I have a great sense of humor and I find most things intended to be funny, humorous. But, I protect my personal branding by not allowing people to post things on my timeline without my approval, and I don’t post things publicly that might not project the personal brand I am intentional about building.
I am an informal person – my LinkedIn profile is a picture of me in a pink denim jacket, not a suit. My business website shows informal pictures of people smiling and posing for the camera.
I have extensive professional experience – my LinkedIn profile contains the specifics of my formal credentials, and this is further reiterated on my blog page and my business website. I own multiple franchise territories for Liberty Tax Service, and financial and marketing professional service companies. The reviews and recommendations further support my credibility.
Important personal branding content!
I’d love to hear what you found out after you search your name. Please leave me a comment!
