In addition to leveraging social channels to stimulate discussion on leading products, prospects, or competitors in the marketplace (see my last post on How Does Social Media Affect Your Business?), “going social” can also be used to create your own professional brand, which in turn can have a significant impact on your company’s brand.

For example, as you build a reputation on different social networks, more people will follow you, and with every piece of information you share, the more end users your shared experience and knowledge will reach. Before you know it, your posts and blogs on social networks related to your field of study will draw interest to your company, which likely provides the products and services about which you speak so intelligently. Each social media platform must be approached with a unique strategy, and yields its own kind of benefits. So, before you get started, here is an overview of how popular social media applications can help you improve your personal brand, and consequently your company’s brand.

Twitter

• Gain insight into what grabs the attention of key executives in your industry
• Become a thought leader by spreading your creativity and ideas to all your followers

LinkedIn

• Market your experience to thousands of online recruiters, HR professionals, and hiring managers
• Join industry-specific groups to engage in your professional community

About.me

• Tie all of your social media networks back to an easy-to-manage website, which can be branded and marketed based on your interests and personality to show people what you’re all about
• See analytics on who sees your profile, where they are coming from, and what they are doing on your page, which is key if you’re promoting yourself or your business online

Lastly, Klout.com provides a score to social network users that measures his or her influence within the social realm. Every time you share content online or engage in a conversation, you are influencing others, which is monumental for businesses trying to create or maintain brand recognition. According to Klout.com, 90% of consumers trust peer recommendations, and only 30% trust ads. By becoming a key influencer within your social community, you have the ability to help promote your company’s brand even further. For example, my goal is to continue to share information relevant to organizational and cloud computing strategies to help businesses be more successful and efficient. By expanding my reach into these new and developing channels of communication, I will improve Bluewolf’s position in the marketplace.

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