When building a personal brand on social media, there are a myriad of best practices to keep in mind. What industry doesn’t have them?!
But in the social media world, change is the only constant. Something that’s a best practice today or tomorrow, in six months could be passé. The landscape for what constitutes a personal brand is ever-evolving. And that’s the key word: personal. It’s centered on you!
Last month I had the pleasure of participating in hosting a Facebook Live for my alma mater UCF around How to Create a Strong Personal Brand with Social Media. Throughout this session, I answered questions from UCF students ranging from best ways to use social media as an introvert to how can Broadway or stage performers can stay relevant during the stage blackout.
Here are the three main takeaway from my session.
📱 Fit into one of the three pillars. Data shows that there are three main types of social media themes that get the highest engagement. Your page should either be funny, beautiful, or valuable to your audience. Now, these are not mutually exclusive. If you have a TikTok video that educates your audience about your industry that is also funny: double win! Figure out which platform works best for your pillar. If the idea of being in front of a camera is terrifying but you feel like there’s value in what you have to say, go to a platform where you can write, or maybe a podcast is more in your lane. There is no standard for social media success because it depends on you.
📱 When someone lands on your profile, make it obvious who you are. Make it clear what industry you work in, what your hobbies are, or throw in a fun fact about yourself. When building a brand, there isn’t a strict divide between personal and professional. Especially when WRF, I have clients who know my son because he is sitting right next to me during meetings and just tried an avocado for the first time. Showing parts of your life and personality alongside your professional accomplishments make you more memorable and relatable. Also, cute babies never hurt. 😉
📱 Go out of your comfort zone. After I got laid off from Rolling Stone in 2008, I asked myself the important questions, “What do I want to be known for? What are my strengths? What do I bring to the table? What do I enjoy?” Once you establish that base, have fun! For better or for worse, people on social media will let you know what works. Want to try a new aesthetic? Do it! Feel like you need to change it in two months? Go for it! You won’t know what works for you unless you try it.
Whether you’re a social media novice or a Kardashian-level influencer, check out the amazing questions I was asked by the UCF student body to learn more tips about how to take your personal brand to the next level.
