“Your brand is what people say about you when you are not in the room.” That’s why you need content for Personal Branding. Your content positions you as the expert in your field, tells your story & helps you build your online authority.
Most probably, you understand the importance of branding on a business level. But, branding is becoming just as important at a personal level too. You have more in common with a business than you might think. Sure, you have different agendas, but your goals are similar: you want to succeed.
Whether we’re trying to draw more customers to our business, establish ourselves as an expert in our niche or landing the job of our dream, we are all brands.
Personal branding is, then, the process of managing and perfecting the way we are presented to others.
And, social media, but LinkedIn in particular, plays a crucial role in developing our personal brand online. Just think about it: LinkedIn is the online epicenter for meeting people, building business relationships, and sharing content. In fact, we could argue that creating and sharing valuable content that serves the interests of your connections is one of the most important elements of creating a strong personal brand on LinkedIn.
Here’s why.
Content Allows You to Show off Your Expertise
One of the best ways to let people know that you are an expert in your niche is through content. Put yourself in your audience’s shoes and ask yourself, what problems do they face on a day to day basis and how can you help them solve those issues? Then, go to LinkedIn and click on the Write an article button to share your thoughts and solutions with your network. Or, you can start a discussion within your group where you can ask questions and express your points of view.
It Helps You Build Your Online Authority
Another benefit of publishing content regularly is that you position yourself as an expert and problem-solver. And, when people start seeing you as an authority in your niche, they are more likely to connect with you and turn to you for answers. Eventually, they’ll also take the desired action, whether it’s to connect with you, endorse your skills, purchase your products, or hire you.
Content Makes It Easy to Connect with Others
Relationships are the backbone of a powerful personal brand. And, content can help you expand your LinkedIn network and connect with influencers who wouldn’t have noticed you otherwise. Answer questions and create valuable feedback on influencer’s posts. Join group discussions and provide insightful answers to people’s questions. Just make sure that every piece of content you create, whether it’s a comment, a post, or an update is relevant, helpful, and valuable.
High-Quality Content Makes You Trustworthy
When you provide fresh, high-quality content on a regular basis, people start seeing you as knowledgeable and helpful. If they trust you, they are more likely to connect with you, endorse you, or even hire your services.
Content Can Be a Powerful Emotional Tool
Content can also help you define your online personality. The words you use, your tone of voice, and the way you tell a story can help you convey your message in a more effective way. People always tell me how they like my simple way of explaining things. When you find what makes your audience tick, you can connect with them on an emotional level. And, as we all know, emotions are one of the most powerful persuasion tools.
In today’s highly connected world, you are what you post on your social media accounts. And, indeed, people will presume that your LinkedIn content is an accurate depiction of your personality. Leverage that assumption and use content to create a powerful personal brand.