What’s one thing I’m probably doing wrong with my personal brand, and how can I fix it?
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1. Not having a website
“Many personal brands rely too heavily on platforms outside of their control, such as Facebook and YouTube. What if they change their algorithm or take down your channel? While those platforms are great for promoting your personal brand, you need to have a funnel that drives your target market to your website so you can have a more direct relationship with your customers.”
Syed Balkhi, WPBeginner:
2. Using an old profile picture
“It amazes me when I’m researching someone and see an old photo that doesn’t represent them and who they are. Not everyone likes to have their picture taken, but a solid, current photo will do wonders when it comes to getting people to take you seriously and know that you on your game.”
Colbey Pfund, LFNT distribution
3. Not updating your website
“I often see clients and colleagues with personal websites that were last updated years ago. Make sure your website (or your LinkedIn if you don’t have one) is up to date. It’s a quick and easy fix that you can control, and it makes you look professional.”
Adrienne Schmidt, Bouquet.ai:
4. Being invalid
“You can’t be everything to everyone when building a personal brand. To be memorable and build a following internally, you need to match what people see on the outside, not who you think will be the best seller. While your true self may not appeal to everyone, those who are attracted to it will be engaged and genuine in their interest.”
Lindsey Grouper, BLASTmedia:
5. Use of Alias
“I can’t believe the number of people who don’t add their real, full name to their Instagram profile. Many people see your content and forget who owns that username and are more likely to unfollow you. Just add your real name. You can always create an alter ego profile to follow the sleazy accounts.”
Ryan D Matzner, Filled with fuel
6. Not Using Video
“Start using video in your personal branding to give viewers a sense of who you really are, and then tell a little bit about your organization. People want to know who you are and what makes you tick. Share why you decided to get into your business in the first place, and a few details about how things have evolved over the years.”
Andrew Schrage, Money Crashers Personal Finance
7. Spreading yourself too thin
“It’s easy to want to be on every social network there is, but no one can follow it. Your presence will lag and you risk not attracting your consumers. Know which points best suit you and your brand, and focus your attention there.”
Zach Binder, Bell + Ivy
8. Not generating your own content
“Businesses blog and create video content, and you should do the same with your personal brand. So start blogging on your personal website or writing articles on LinkedIn and Medium. You can also easily create video content with your smartphone. give good business advice or tell a story.
John Turner, SeedProd LLC
9. Using only one social media platform
“Not everyone you want to connect with will be active on the same social media platform as you. So you must be on more than one platform. If you only have a LinkedIn account, you don’twish you could connect with people who aren’t on LinkedIn, so consider creating another account on Twitter or Instagram to expand your reach.”
Blair Williams, MemberPress:
10. Not making engagement a two-way process
“Social media is great for getting news and following updates from others, but those who are the best at it don’t just post information, they also engage with their followers. It is a perfect example. Gary Vaynerchuk. His growth and brand is 100% dependent on his audience members who love and respect him for his user engagement and personal content.”
Zach Johnson, Bloggers
11. Not telling your story
“Personal branding, as the phrase implies, should be personal. Not using it to tell your story is a big branding mistake. It should always be real and relatable. It is very important that people who follow you know you. Let us own your story, be unique and different. regardless of whatever stage of life you are in, you still have a story to tell. Learn to tell it.”
Rahul Varshneya, Archenea
12. Lack of consistency
“One of the biggest personal branding errors What I see so many entrepreneurs do is not be consistent across all channels. Your bio, photos and language should be consistent to ensure you’re building a cohesive personal brand. Use the same colors, fonts, images and tone in all your personal branding.”
Christine Kimberly Marquette, FemFounder:
13. Thinking you don’t need a brand
“If you’re in a position at your company that’s more behind the scenes, or you’re a recent graduate without a ton of work experience, you can think you don’t need to develop a personal brand at all, but you’d be wrong. Developing a personal brand will help you make connections and advance your career. So if you think personal branding isn’t necessary for someone in your position, think again.”
Kris Kristoff, MonsterInsights:
14. Not listening to your customers
“If you find yourself only reading the first few comments and replies you get and never looking past them, do a U-tour:n. Go back and read them all sooner rather than later. Constantly listening to what your audience has to say allows you to measure what you’re really giving them, and that’s valuable. Keeping and gaining followers is based on giving them content they find valuable.”
Matthew Podolsky, Florida Law Consultants, PA
15. Not being specific enough
“Sometimes marketing is no longer effective because the Internet has made it too easy and ubiquitous. Instead of just looking for one broad niche to focus your brand on, try to find a more specific niche within that niche. For example, instead of focusing your brand on general fitness, try focusing on specific forms of exercise such as calisthenics or plyometrics.”
Bryce Welker, CPA exam guy