Personal Branding Mistake #41: YOU'RE MAKING EXCUSES

It doesn’t take much to get the wheels turning. Take some time today to think about you and your personal brand. Write about it, talk about it - just see where it takes you! Your personal brand will thank you later.

The most successful LinkedIn users engage with connections and discussion groups daily, so join your relevant groups to optimize your brand and your network. Over 5 million professionals now have endorsements for social media skills on LinkedIn. That should give you an idea of how important regular updates are. The challenge in personal branding is to identify your goals then act to reach your goals. Yes it takes time and yes it’s worth it. 

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Personal Branding Mistake #42: IT'S NOT ALL FUN AND GAMES

Don’t be a slave to social media; make it work for you instead. Have it serve as a platform to leverage your brand and increase awareness. You want to build an audience, not a platform of gifs and memes to distract your connections from the service you provide.

LinkedIn powers 50% of the world’s hires, so make sure your audience knows your brand promise and its value. Represent that promise with relevant text, documents, visuals and links. LinkedIn’s power is in professional connections, so keep your professional profile focused and clear of personal information. Puppies work great on Facebook, not so great on LinkedIn.  

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Personal Branding Mistake #43: YOU NEED A DIGITAL MAKEOVER

You spend money on a new suit and a haircut for an interview, so why not for your digital appearance too? Prospective clients and employees will check you out online before they ever meet you in person. Is your online presence up to par? 

Your social media profiles generally rank in the top five Google search results for your first and last name, so make sure your profiles are complete and represent your brand. Did you know that 80% of companies use social media for recruitment? Hiring managers frequently refer to a candidate’s LinkedIn network for blind references, so include people in your network that will say good things to say about you. 

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Personal Branding Mistake #47: USE IT OR LOSE IT

Maybe you have a free LinkedIn profile, maybe you pay for premium, but simply having a profile won’t bring home the bacon. Optimize your profile and use these helpful tips to take full advantage of LinkedIn.

Having a social media profile will not work if you’re not active. 42% of LinkedIn users update their profiles regularly so post fresh and valuable content often. There are 200 conversations per minute occurring in LinkedIn discussion groups. Actively participate in your groups to enhance your brand presence and to maintain strong relationships with your network. Users who engage with their connections are much more likely to receive profile views than passive users. 

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Personal Branding Mistake #54: SILENCE IS NOT GOLDEN

Before you join a group, check to make sure its members are active and discussing. A silent group isn’t a group worth joining. Get your personal brand going by joining highly active groups.

Build brand awareness by joining and participating in LinkedIn discussion groups. With 1.5 million LinkedIn groups, there are plenty of options to choose from. Join groups that open up meaningful relationships and opportunities. 81% of LinkedIn users belong to at least one group. And 40% of all social media users socialize more online than they do face-to-face. Do lots of first online meetings to connect with those individuals you normally wouldn’t. Participating in group discussions is a great way to grow and optimize your brand. 

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