According to my blog archives, I have been blogging for exactly 1 year. For an entire year I have been trying to build my personal brand equity through video interviews, a video documentary, and getting publicized throughout the internet.
Looking back, there are a lot of things that I feel I could have done better. This is what I have learned after a year of building my personal brand:
You don’t have to focus on one topic
I made this mistake plenty of times during the past year as a blogger, and do you know what it lead to? Frustration. I was frustrated because I couldn’t find that one topic that I could become an “expert” in. I was frustrated because everywhere I turned, there seemed to already by someone who was the voice of that niche.
One of the most frustrating things was that I didn’t have a talent. I looked at my brother who is a musician or every artist out there and thought to myself, “Man, if I had their talent, I could be killing it right now!” I started getting jealous, and the green eye of envy engulfed me for a certain period.
You don’t need to have a talent; you don’t need to be an expert. Build a brand of openness, friendliness, helpfulness, and transparency. Above all else, create a brand that people look at and say, “Wow, this person is a very genuine and honest individual who sincerely is looking to help others.” Your “brand” doesn’t have to be a subject, it can be a characteristic.
You don’t have to comment on everyone’s blog
Everyone talks about this one. “You need to build community and start commenting on other blogs.” So, I did what everyone was advising me to do. I went onto Google Blogsearch and started finding random blogs to make a comment on. Half the time I didn’t even read the post; I just read the title, skimmed, and left a half-assed comment in order to get more traffic onto my site. I turned into a traffic hog – all I cared about was my analytics.
Look, commenting on other blogs is important, but being genuine trumps everything else. Leave a comment ONLY if you have something valuable to say. Actually, forget about the “value.” Only leave a comment if your truly feel moved to do it. Maybe the post was so good, that you just want to leave the author a compliment: “Hey, that was a real good post. Thanks for opening up my eyes to a new perspective!” This comment leaves no “value,” but it’s genuine because it comes from the heart.
Be honest with yourself and everyone in the community and I promise your readership will grow.
You don’t have to create a profile on every social network
Again, everyone tells you that you need to use Digg, Mixx, Reddit, Stumble, and all of these others sites. When I first started blogging, I jumped into all of these sites, tried to add random content, tried to add random friends, and ultimately felt frustrated with all of these sites because they were driving me no traffic. I used these websites for the wrong reasons.
Join Mixx, Reddit, Pownce, and the other sites only if you really enjoy the community. If your forcing yourself to find good sites online and be the first one to Digg them, it’s definitely NOT fun. That’s what I did for a few months! Did I meet some good people on Digg? Yes, I really did. But overall my experience was not great because I forced myself to Digg things I didn’t like and make friends with people who I didn’t feel a connection with.
Don’t use a site because you feel you have to. Join a site because you actually like it.
Personal branding is not about positioning yourself to pitch your company. Personal branding is about being happy with who you are. You don’t need to please everyone around you and you don’t have to constantly think about how others perceive you. Focus on being happy and helping others and I promise you will build a positive personal brand.
Author:
Jun is the Founder and CMO of Future Delivery where he is building Viralogy, the Social Media rank. His personal blog, Become a Young Successful Entrepreneur, gives a real, unfiltered view of the Startup Life so that current and aspiring entrepreneurs can learn from his successes and mistakes.
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I’m new to Dan’s blog, and first want to say that I really enjoyed this post and will be back for more. This is exactly the sort of information I needed to hear right now.
I love the idea of your brand focusing on a “characteristic.” I am working on a yet-to-be-launched blog (and more) project that doesn’t fit neatly into any specific niche. That was troubling me with all the folks our there pushing bloggers to get into the tightest possible niche available. I was so pleased to read Leo Babuta’s post on Write To Done about shattering the myth of the niche. Your post adds support and encouragement to think beyond “traditional” (if anything in social media is old enough to be considered “traditional”) wisdom.
I also really appreciate your call for authenticity. Too many people see “working the Web” as a tech/scientific/formula-based challenge. But, the truth is, the Web is made of of Real People. If you can’t connect with them in a genuine way, you are wasting their time, and yours.
Thanks for a great post. Looking forward to more.
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Hi,
I joined ppmng recently where I read a blog about personal branding and there was a link to your blog. I must say that this sounded like a true and honest thought on personal branding. I am new to this blog world,and I never felt thAt it plays such a big role in career building. I think for career building, I may not use blogs much. Certainly to speak about something, to put forth my ideas, I will use it. I feel it’s like ownig your own editorial page in your news paper!
Thank you. Someone talks straight, and I like it.
Pankaj Dhepe
Software engr @ TATA consultancy services ltd.
NJ, USA
As I am stepping out in another area of business that doesn’t focus on my products, but more on service I will be blogging and writing to support my brand. But it is difficult to find that niche, when it seems like everyone is doing the same thing . I love talking about Politics, Religion, my children and business, but if I put it all in one spot I am afraid people will get lost. But it does make me more relaxed with reading this post.
Hi Jun:
Thanks for this perspective on branding! I’m just starting to do some research on the topic and ultimately develop the best strategies for me. So far, I’ve been a bit overwhelmed at the notion of whittling the “Brand-Me” down to something narrowly focused given my diverse and broad blend of skill sets & interests!
So, I too like the simplicity of branding one’s value system primarily followed by the “oh by the way, I have this plethora of information I’d love to share, or put to work for you.”
Kelly / HR & Safety Manager
Jun,
Your section where you talk about that we do not have to focus on one topic just hit home with me. I had to create a blog for the class I am taking and I had (and still have) same frustrations that you are talking about. Thank you for sharing your experience with us, you give me hope that after few trials and errors I will be able to find my voice.
Being a newly appointed marketing consultant for an up and coming blog, I really appreciate this post. Your final statement stood out to me like a hippo in an art museum: “Focus on being happy and helping others and I promise you will build a positive personal brand.”
Also, I’ve always said my only “unique” talent is touching my tongue to my nose, so it is a relief that this “talent” of mine does not necessarily have to be my “niche.” I really like the idea of branding with a focus on a characteristic instead of a subject.
Thanks for all of the helpful advice! I will certainly be reading more of your posts.