Personal Branding: You Must Build Your Digital Empire

What is a digital empire and what is its purpose? A digital empire simply means building your brand online by securing your online assets. The reason why it is important is to enable you display your expertise in your field. People search online for answers and information before they seek certain products or services so being a brand online opens a lot of doors for you.

Companies such as Apple and Coca Cola took some time to build their brands but with the help of these social media platforms, which are all free, building your brand is very easy. To succeed online, you have to focus on being unique. The question is, "What makes you different?"

To build your digital empire you must know these things:

·         Your brand is your great asset, not your house or your car

·         Secure your brand with free online tools and promote it through blogs, websites and social networks

·         Have your own picture, not someone else’s

·         Have a brand statement. An example could be, "I am an experienced sales professional with an 80% success rate with a large Media Company."

Here are the 5 ways to build your personal online brand:

1. Secure your brand with these tools

Have a digital presence by acquiring some digital assets. Buy your name from websites such as godaddy.com. For example, if your name is Sally Smith, you will purchase www.sallysmith.com. Type your name in Google and find out what is being said about you; change it by raising your profile on various social media sites. Your potential employer or client is likely to do research on you before hiring you.

2. Be the Wikipedia within your industry

After you have captured your name, spread your message. Be known within your industry as someone who always has solutions. When you always answer people’s questions, you will be seen as an expert within your field. Visit sites such as Quora and answer questions. You can always go online and research for answers to questions you are unsure about. This builds your confidence, especially when you need to approach investors for your business, pass an interview or ask for a pay rise.

3. Blog

Your website or blog should be a place where people want to visit consistently because of the answers and solutions you provide. Regardless of what industry you are in, you can be a solution centre. Research shows that first time visitors spend less than 30 seconds on a website. What does this tell you? The only time they are likely to spend more time on your website is if you have information that is valuable to them.

4. Use videos to share your brand

If you want to set up a business without worrying too much about getting a loan for marketing purposes, you can focus on creating videos about your expertise and uploading them on YouTube. You have something that people need and want access to, so use videos to spread your message. Be consistent with these videos; your audience will feel more connected with you.

5. Engage on Social Media

Social media is a market place where you can easily engage with people all over the world. Do not post messages without any engagement or you will be seen as a nuisance. Set aside time to engage with people. This can be done by answering questions and having conversations. When you engage with people, better relationships can be built. This technique works whether you want to grow your business or enhance your career. Engaging consistently is the key.

With the above tips, you will build your brand, establish your expertise and also experience growth in your business and career. Are you ready to stand out in the crowd and build your digital empire?