First of all, Happy New Year! Thank you for reading along with me in 2020, I hope this year brings more joy.

I want to talk about personal brand identity. What does it mean?

For a definition (from everyonesocial.com): Having a personal brand identity allows a professional to show the world what he or she is about as an individual employee. By building a personal brand it can show the skills and qualities that someone has, defining what makes them important or different.

I like to broaden the definition, because in this day and age with social media, you are marketing yourself. Everything you do and post explains everything about you to future employers, peers, and the general public.

The most important thing when deciding what you want your brand identity to be, you always have to be authentic. You cannot fake skills or interest to make you more favorable, because not only will you have to live up to the facade, but you come off as untrustworthy. The modern consumer looks for authenticity, which is why social media stars such as Emma Chamberlain, remain so popular.

I am going to teach you how to find your personal brand identity to make yourself more marketable on social media. There are many posts and guides on how to do this for jobs and resumes, but today it’s all about public perception from your social media page. Let’s talk about it.

Why do I need to have a personal brand identity?

In an oversaturated market and competitive world, you need to stand out. If you have a specific job or lifestyle you are partial to, you need to curate your brand to fit that mold. If I were an employer for career choice (public relations) and I was looking between two candidates, I would immediately look at their social media. NOTE: Not every career choice is this specific. Do what feels right for you and the path you choose. Most careers, it’s not a big deal, but always be thoughtful of what you are posting. Candidate A has a normal social media account with pictures of family BBQ’s and #tbts. Candidate B has a carefully curated feed with matching colors, pictures of things they like, and post about current news and their day on their stories. I would immediately be drawn to candidate B. This is because they have showed me they care about perception, they understand color theory with filters and how it makes them feel, they are meticulous with details and will make sure their work is well done, and they can stick to a schedule and job.

How do I start?

Figure out what and who you want to be. What are your goals? Dream job? Do you want to be seen as a powerhouse or a sweet employee/friend that get’s things done gently? What do the big players in your field post about? Color association, and how much time you are willing to put into your social media.

I would make a list of all of your positive personality traits first, and then a list pf hobbies/talents/skills. This will allow you to find things to post about. Then look at all of the colors that are prominent in your pictures. Use the color/emotion theory to pick one that resonated with you and gives off the messages you want it to. For example I use beige on my personal and blog Instagrams because beige represents, calm, dependable, working people. They are people that work hard behind the scenes to get things done. I want that power and reliability associated with me and my brand. It’s also always trendy, easy to match, and a constant color that will always be significant.

How to solidify your personal brand

To solidify and get all of your followers, peers, and future employers on the same page, you need to post and craft your brand. Post things you care about on your story, tag brand sin your pictures, post about things that inspire you and say kind words. Shout out and follow other people in your field and show you care about it and are up to date.

Think about the personality you want to create and how you want to be seen by the public. Share quotes or pictures of family or recipes. Take inspo from accounts you love and people you admire. It’s really up to you what kind of content you are passionate about and what you want your brand to be.

Lastly, rebrand is necessary

It’s ok to change your mind. It’s ok to chose a different version of yourself, change your career or want to just do something different. It’s all up to you and how you feel. You don’t even have to post on social media, but from what I want to do, I know it’s a crucial part of the job so I take it seriously.