Personal branding online is not an overnight success. Author of Life After College and career and business strategist, Jenny Blake, said it took a year of strategy with CEO and creative director of ABC Design Lab Adam Chaloeicheep before she launched her official site. This creative process forced Blake to dig deeper into her offering, content and user experience. However, not everyone has the luxury of hiring a creative team. Setting up a simple website “is good way to launch and iterate. It doesn’t have to be perfect at first. My site is a 1,000 iterations over 10 years,” Blake said.
Your Essence
According to a recent Domain .ME survey conducted by Wakefield Research, “61 percent of Americans agree that a personal website could help manage their reputation online.” Blake emphasized to differentiate yourself from the carbon copies out there and make your website a reflection of your personality and vibe. When you start to plan out your design and content, Blake said to look at some of your favorite websites and take note of the qualities you like. Blake suggested to consider how you want people to feel when they come to and leave your site. Tony Felice, cofounder of FELICE+WHITNEY PR, said that regardless of the size of company, building a brand includes showing one’s human side.
Your Brand Is Not All About You
Some might think the first objective of building their online reputation is to tout their gold star stickers. Felice said that, instead, people need to start providing value to their audience, and not to use their website to solely flaunt one’s accomplishments. Felice suggests to start working backwards from what the customer needs from your website to arrive at your message. For business owners who are selling a product, Kate Crowley, founder of Crowley Communications, said to make sure the web design matches the price point of your product or service.
No Jekyll & Hyde
As you begin to deliver content and share your perspective, experts agree that being consistent in your messaging, images and conversations across all social platforms and website is key to success.
