BUILDING YOUR ONLINE PRESENCE - TOP TIPS FROM SABRINA HO
1 FIND YOUR BRAND
The first thing to do before starting the process is to identify your “Why”. The answers to that question will help identify the goal behind creating an online presence: Is it to connect with industry peers, find a job, or do you want to present yourself as a subject matter expert? Your responses to each of these questions will determine your strategy, and also the content of what you post, like and forward.
When it comes to your career, your goal is really to brand yourself as an expert in your field – the go-to person your friends or connections would turn to when they have questions about your industry. You also want to show that you’re very willing to share.
2 BE CONSISTENT
The first step to building professional connections is to start posting content on a regular basis. Linkedin would be the first place you should post. You can then can extend it to your personal Facebook and Instagram pages.
Purposeful posts that dip into your area of expertise will increase visibility equally among other professionals on the platform as well as recruiters. You can also share other people’s content and posts. Liking, adding your viewpoint, or thanking the writer for their insight might get you one step closer to getting acquainted with them. For instance, when someone shares my post, I can see who they are and, if they send me a Linkedin invite after that, I will definitely accept it.
3 MIND YOUR BRAND
The most important thing to remember is to be very mindful and intentional when it comes to building your brand. Everything you post online, like and comment on, as well as every conversation you have, contributes to your overall image. Consistency is key from the standpoint of staying true to the brand that you are trying to build. This will help with your Linkedin algorithm, so that you match and pop up in the feed of the people you’re looking to engage with. Your social media image is what you want future employers and professional connections to see.
When it comes to your online branding, it is more of an art than a science. I have this formula of 80/20 – 80 per cent of what you share should be aimed at providing value to your audience, and 20 per cent can be updates about yourself and highlights of your personal achievements. There are certain data algorithms that you can manipulate, but at the end of the day, it should be about being authentic and providing value.