How would you feel if your Facebook page was shut down? What if your blog, where you create, post your ideas and thoughts was turned off?
What would your reaction be if your Twitter account went blank?
These are questions that we often don’t want to contemplate.
For me, the reaction would be one of loss. My persona is now woven and embedded in and on the web. It is where I express myself, share and learn.
Our online world is becoming an extension of who we are. This virtual sphere is becoming real. If you work in a knowledge industry or the creative arts then it is essential to define and market yourself online.
Influence , knowledge and power is being digitised. There is no turning back. If you want to continue to be effective and relevant, then there is no choice.
Jobs, careers and businesses are being created, driven and determined by the social web.
Avatars come to life
The platforms and social media channels we are creating are taking on a life of their own. Our avatars are breathing. They are digital signatures with a hidden pulse.
It is not just where you create, express and think. It is also where you meet. This meeting of minds is where you change others in real time and they leave their imprint on you. We are all evolving through rapid exchange.
No longer do we need to catch up face to face to start a conversation, pose an idea or network.
Social networking is a duopoly
Networking was the province of the cocktail party, the conference or a breakfast meetup.
They still are.
Jobs are found, business opportunities are discovered and friendships made. Sometimes though the pushing of the business card under someone’s nose smells of desperation.
Now it’s a bit more like “here is my card you can check me out later online”
Blogs, social media networks now accelerate the networking process. They allow us to create weak ties online from New York, to London and Rio de Janeiro. Online platforms facilitate and accelerate the discovery. They are efficient.
The strong ties happen when we break bread, catch up for a coffee or share a wine together.
We need both.
How to use social networks to grow your personal brand
Sometimes the question is asked, “which social network should I use?”
The answer will vary according to your industry, your target market and your goals. Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are no brainers. Then it comes down to time, resources and often some experimentation.
Here are some tips and tactics to use 10 social networks to enhance and market your personal and online brand.
Source: Launchyourself.com
What about you?
How important has your online brand become to you? Could you live without it? Is it part of who you are?
How do you market your personal online brand? Facebook, blog or LinkedIn?
How many social networks are you on?
Look forward to hearing your successes, challenges and thoughts in the comments below.
Want to learn how to create, market and maintain a powerful personal online brand ?
My book – “Blogging the Smart Way – How to Create and Market a Killer Blog with Social Media” – will show you how.
It is now available to download. I show you how to create and build a blog that rocks and grow tribes, fans and followers on social networks such as Twitter and Facebook. It also includes dozens of tips to create contagious content that begs to be shared and tempts people to link to your website and blog.
I also reveal the tactics I used to grow my Twitter followers to over 149,000.
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