Publish at November 29 2023 Updated November 29 2023
Personal branding is not a new phenomenon. As early as 2006, Time Magazine declared "You" as its Personality of the Year. At the time, we were witnessing the emergence of social networks and Youtube. The article concluded: "You control the information age. Welcome to your world".
In almost two decades, how has personal branding evolved?
Developing a brand or an image takes time and effort. Can these efforts be justified by a quid pro quo? What can people expect when they develop their brand on the Internet?
Even before they finish their studies, students have an interest in positively distinguishing themselves on the networks. At a time when many people are wasting their time scrolling endlessly, the person who constructs interesting content will give a positive image of himself or herself, which will have a positive effect on employability among other things, but not only.
Here's a list of other reasons:
By developing a personal brand, students will develop connections with other Internet users. Indeed, their participation in exchanges on various topics on the Internet will be the starting point for conversations with professionals in their sector.
The process of creating a personal brand often involves developing skills. Producing content requires research, understanding, curiosity and a spirit of synthesis, among other qualities.
Opportunities: A personal brand can attract opportunities such as internships, collaborations or even mentoring proposals.
Thanks to the recognition that comes with their online presence, students gain confidence and belief in their own abilities.
Recruiters are increasingly attentive to personal branding, as we explained in " Developing your personal brand in the face of predictive recruitment".
Developing a personal brand is particularly crucial for freelancers and contractors for several key reasons:
Differentiation: In often saturated fields, a strong personal brand helps freelancers and contractors stand out from their competitors. It highlights their uniqueness, whether in terms of style, approach, skills or experience.
Overcoming impostor syndrome: A well-established personal brand builds trust with potential customers. It demonstrates their expertise and professionalism, which is essential to attracting and retaining customers.
Attract good customers: By clearly communicating their personal brand, freelancers and entrepreneurs can attract customers who share their values and visions. This often leads to smoother, more satisfying collaborations.
Partnership opportunities: A strong personal brand opens doors to networking opportunities, partnerships and collaborations. It enables professionals to connect with others in their industry, creating mutually beneficial business opportunities.
Customer-perceived quality and price match: A strong personal brand often enables freelancers and contractors to charge more for their services. By being perceived as experts or leaders in their field, they can justify higher rates.
Personal satisfaction: As developing your personal brand is synonymous with content creation, by developing it you'll be helping others, which can be gratifying.
In many fields, the most important thing is to take the plunge. All too often, people stay in their thoughts, or even their dreams, and don't take action. Of course, this doesn't mean you have to act any old way, because there's a risk of giving a bad impression of yourself. So be structured and organized to develop your personal brand.
For many people, social networks are a pastime, used to consume content. When you want to become a content producer, you need to know why. That's why defining your objectives is so important. More often than not, the main objectives will be to find customers or develop your employability. More disinterested objectives are also a good source of motivation, and can be found in various sectors such as free software.
Although social networks are becoming increasingly popular, a website or blog remains an interesting tool for centralizing your online presence.
Social networks haven't replaced the blog, which still has unrivalled appeal:
Given the number of possibilities, you need to be selective!
Focus on the platforms where your target audience is. Each platform has its strengths and should be used strategically (LinkedIn for professional networking, Instagram for a strong visual presence, etc.).
Also, choose platforms according to your preferences. If you're not comfortable with video, Youtube may not be ideal or for Faceless videos, i.e. without showing your face.
Too often, people who want to develop their brand are full of good intentions, but for various reasons are not consistent in publishing: either they get discouraged because the results are not as quick as hoped, or they are not organized enough and postpone because they consider they have other priorities. That's why it's essential to stick to a schedule and not deviate from it.
This planning will enable you to achieve these objectives:
Reliability: A regular publication schedule establishes a consistency that reinforces reliability in the eyes of your audience. Readers or subscribers know when to expect new content from you, which can increase their engagement and loyalty. Regular, consistent publishing helps build and maintain a solid audience base, which is essential for the long-term growth of your online presence.
Pleasing the algorithms: Many online platforms favor accounts that publish regularly. By sticking to a schedule, you improve your chances of being ranked higher by these algorithms, thus increasing the visibility of your content.
Better organization: Having a fixed schedule helps you better manage your time and resources. You can plan ahead, avoid last-minute rushes and maintain consistent quality in your publications.
Self-discipline: Sticking to a publication schedule demonstrates strong discipline and a professional commitment to your personal brand. It sends a message of seriousness and dedication to your audience.
Measuring results: By following a regular schedule, it's easier to measure the effect of your content on different days and times, which can provide valuable statistics for optimizing your future publications.
Ever heard the phrase, content is king? More than ever, it's true. Creating and publishing high value-added content isn't just about sharing information, it's a key strategy for establishing your expertise, strengthening your personal brand and engaging your audience. Here's how to do it:
Identify your target audience's needs: Start by understanding their needs, challenges and interests. What problems might they face? What information are they looking for? This understanding will enable you to create content that really resonates with them.
Bring your expertise to the table: Showcase your expertise and unique experiences. Share your knowledge, tips and perspectives to offer content that can't be found elsewhere.
Be creative: Use a variety of formats such as blog posts, videos, podcasts, or infographics to maintain engagement and reach different segments of your audience.
Ensure quality and relevance: Make sure every piece of content is well researched, well written (or produced) and relevant to your audience. Quality content builds trust and authority for your brand.
Personal branding allows you to stand out from the crowd, whatever your age or sector.
A recent example worth analyzing is that of a young webmaster. His name is Paul Vengeons. Thanks to his Internet presence via his website, his Youtube channel and his social networks (LinkedIn and X, formerly Twitter), Paul has managed to capture the attention of customers to the point of being able to live like a digital nomad.
Another very interesting example is what Xavier Degraux does to develop his personal brand.
Thanks to his online presence and the qualitative content he regularly shares, Xavier is perceived as the LinkedIn and social networking expert in Belgium.
So it's only logical that he's very active on LinkedIn and implements all the best practices.
Thanks to this expertise, when the traditional media need an opinion, the first person they think of for an interview is Xavier. It's easy to see from Google News just how regularly he's in demand: 
If you were a company looking for a social networking consultant, who would you contact - someone who's been on TV for their expertise, or someone more anonymous?
Navigating between developing an authentic personal brand and avoiding excessive self-promotion can be a challenge. Authentic personal branding focuses on sharing values, experiences and expertise to create a real connection with the audience. It involves sincere communication, engaging storytelling and a willingness to provide value to others.
In contrast, excessive self-promotion can appear as a one-sided effort to attract attention, often focused on self-glorification rather than creating value for others. Balance lies in the ability to share one's successes and skills in a way that benefits and inspires others too.
Personal branding is important to professional identity, offering many opportunities to stand out, establish authority, and connect with an audience. As the digital world continues to evolve, the ability to build and maintain an authentic and respectful personal brand will become increasingly valuable.
The key to success lies in balancing authentic presentation with measured promotion, always remaining true to oneself and bringing value to one's audience.
NB: In this article, we've tackled the issue of little-known people. Politicians, sports stars, music stars and movie stars need a different approach, as they are already well known.
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