Having a good presence on social media is important in today's society because everything is done online from connecting with friends to applying for a job. With everything being so "digital", it is necessary to think about how you come across on social media platforms because you never know when a recruiter could be looking at your profile. Knowing what information the public has about you can help you build your profile and stand out, especially when employers are filtering applications by searching for keywords relating to skills instead of reading everyone's application. Even businesses and companies need to look for ways to stand out in order to reach more people through social platforms. The main idea here is that social media has come a long way and it is now time to take it seriously by creating a strong profile that will stand out to potential recruiters or customers.
What are some ways to expand your personal brand?
1. LinkedIn
When it comes to personal branding, LinkedIn is a great place to start because it is free and it is widely used by many people including many recruiters. Using LinkedIn is beneficial because it allows you to easily create a professional profile that can increase your chances of getting hired by allowing you to add key skills to your profile that recruiters may be looking for. Besides adding key skills, you can also make your profile stand out by adding photos, work experience, education, and other important information you want people to know. An article on mastering LinkedIn lists some great facts and tips about how to create a professional looking profile and how to build your personal brand. One fact that stood out to me was that your profile was 11 times more likely to be viewed if you had a profile picture like a headshot, but more fun facts could be found by clicking here. For my profile (shown below) I used a picture I took at work, so my advice is to choose a photo that is simple and not risky.
Besides just creating a profile, LinkedIn allows you to build social connections which also can increase your chances of being hired. Sometimes just knowing someone who works for a certain company, can increase your chances of having your profile viewed. It is easy to build connections because LinkedIn allows you to search for specific people and even suggests people you may know based on what information is on your profile. LinkedIn can also be thought of another social app because it allows you to create content and share it on your profile. LinkedIn is also used by businesses as another way to share content and find people to connect with including finding business partners and building other important connections. With everything being so digital, it is important to try LinkedIn because it's an easy way to stand out and create a strong profile.
2. Facebook
Another great way to build your profile and expand your connections is to create a Facebook page. With millions of people using Facebook, it is no surprise that most businesses and companies have created their own page to reach more people. Facebook is free, and it is a great way for businesses to see what people like and what people want. The book, Introduction to Social Media Marketing, offers a great explanation of what Facebook does. "As a Facebook page owner, you can make posts of various kinds, including text, pictures, video, etc., and if users click the Like button on the page, then in theory, they will receive posts in their newsfeed when they log on to Facebook" (Kelsey 33). A great feature of this app is that it contains many customization options to make your business or profile page stand out, such as adding a cover photo or providing a direct link to a website. The main idea with having a Facebook page is getting people to share what you post which leads to more people liking your page and supporting your business.
Although Facebook is generally free, businesses and companies that want to stand out understand that paid advertising is very beneficial. Anyone can create a page on Facebook, but just simply having a page and posting on it doesn't guarantee that a lot of people will see it or like it. To help businesses and companies reach more people and expand their personal brand, Facebook allows companies to "boost their post", which basically means paying Facebook to place your ads in newsfeeds to attract more people not just those who have liked your page. Paying for advertising is a good way to expand the number of people you reach but it is still important to have the right content that people will be attracted too as well.
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