In today’s world, it’s all about branding yourself. Building a brand is about reinforcing what you are already doing. It doesn’t matter if you are just starting out or you have a lot of experience behind your name.
“Your branding should be consistent with your goal,” said Robyn Davis Sekula, communications consultant.
Creating a brand that will increase your professional identity is essential to all journalists.
If you are wondering where to start on branding yourself, don’t worry. #EIJNews has you covered with tips on how to start:
- Branding is no longer an “on-air” issue: Branding is more about expanding who you are and what you do. While building your brand, the media outlet that you are associated with will complement each other.
- Use social media to help build your profile: “If you don’t have a social media account, get there quickly,” Sekula said. Invest in a nice quality headshot that you can use across all platforms. Also, use your full name. You don’t want potential employers to look through countless profiles because your handle doesn’t match the name you gave them. Important Tip: If you post about your personal life, create more than one profile so you can have the best of both worlds.
- Don’t be afraid to brag about your work: A good brand starts with quality work. Employers can’t see your product unless you share it with them. When posting your work, make sure to include a maximum of two sentences describing what it is. Don’t forget to link it.
- Get used to Googling yourself: This might sound a little odd, but this will help you figure what you need change to maintain your brand. “It’s not just for egotistical reasons but from a branding positioning perspective,” said Victor Hernandez, news innovation strategist. Important Tip: Try using keywords that a perspective employer might use, such as “breaking news” if you work in a newsroom.
The process of branding won’t happen overnight, but the rewards of a carefully planned brand are endless.
Tagged under: Branding Yourself