How to create your personal brand online

When it comes to the Web, you’re nobody if you’re not on Google. To protect yourself from online defamation, and to impress potential business partners, recruiters and even romantic interests, it’s important to maintain a strong online brand. This article offers a few tips to get your personal brand looking great online.

Be personal (but don’t give away personal info).

Your personal online brand should be just that: personal. Creating a name for yourself doesn’t mean performing a single action and reaping constant rewards. It means becoming personally involved in the community in which you intend to be known — in this case, the online community.

Start writing a blog in your area of expertise and connect with other bloggers in your niche. This will mark you as an expert in your field, build your network of professional contacts and help you gain valuable real estate in Google search results. But be careful not to overshare information: Always think about who might be reading your content before you post anything that might be inflammatory.

Offer useful content.

Google works by indexing what it believes to be the most valuable content. So if you want Google to notice you, you must offer useful and engaging content on your blog. In addition to generating better search results, writing quality content will get you noticed by your peers and improve your community standing. Those who offer original viewpoints, valuable commentary and real solutions to pertinent issues often have the best reputations.

Consistency is key.

If you have multiple profiles on the Web, it’s important to be consistent in your brand voice. That is, your online content shouldn’t contradict how you want to appear to others. Your personal style plays as great a role as any in establishing your unique online persona, and the more stable you are in that style, the more memorable and recognizable you will be to the online community.

Think long term.

There is no quick fix to building your personal online brand. If your contribution to the Web is nothing more than a flash in the pan, you don’t have an online brand. Only through steady effort, consistent diligence and ongoing creativity can you create an enduring and accurate personal online brand. Though it takes a great amount of work, the benefits of a well-built online brand are virtually limitless, and the rewards (today and in the future) will certainly be worth the effort.