3 Signs Your Personal Branding Is Successful, According to a Brand Strategist

Personal branding isn’t just for CEOs, celebrities and politicians. Whether you realize it or not, you already have a personal brand. If you haven’t given it any thought, it might be bland, muddled or confusing. Maybe it’s not doing you any favors.

So... what is your brand? Your personal brand, simply put, is what people think of when they think of you. And the big question to ask yourself is: What would you like them to think?

While we don’t have complete control over others’ opinions of us, we do have control over what we emphasize and put out there. Giving some thought to the image you’d like to project to the world is the first step in creating a strong personal brand. 

Being strategic and thoughtful about your personal brand doesn’t mean being fake or inauthentic. Never try to be someone you’re not. But, you do want to put a little more thought into it beyond “just being yourself.” Understand your strengths and weaknesses, and play up the former while managing for the latter. Think of it as doubling down on your best traits and making sure that what you do and say are in alignment with that. In other words, be authentic, but also be selective. 

Then, the question becomes: How do you know if you’re doing it right? Here are three signs that will tell you if you’re on the right track.

1. People trust you. 

2. You pass the “Google test.” 

When you Google yourself, what do you see? It’s likely one of the following four things: 

1. Nothing.
2. Links to about 100 other random people with the same name (some of whom, let’s face it, might be giving you a bad name).
3. Some cringe-inducing stuff from your college days.
4. Content that showcases your knowledge and is relevant to your industry and interests.

There's really only one good answer here (Choice 4, of course!). Choice 1 is a very, very distant runner-up, but it's better to have nothing pop up when you Google your name than have something that will detract from your brand in any way. If you're creating and sharing content that demonstrates your expertise in your brand competencies, and if you can feel proud of what a prospective employer or client might find when they Google you, your personal branding is on the right track.

3. You're known for something specific. 

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