The Art and Science Behind Personal Branding Online
The Age of Personal Branding
Personal Branding: How you present yourself so people remember you
We’re already branding ourselves online without thinking
Socially: 264 million have a social media profile
81% of population
Professionally: 138 million use LinkedIn
42% of population
Romantically: 40 million use online dating sites
12% of population
Benefits of a strong online brand
Network with potential employers and romantic partners
Control your image instead of putting your rep in the hands of a Google search
Grow your business: customers trust individuals more than faceless corporations
In person, you interact using a wealth of unconscious cues: facial expression, hand gestures, tone of voice―online, your toolkit is more limited
The Many Facets of Online Personal Branding
Profile Picture
It takes only 1/10 of a second to form an impression of someone from a photo
First impressions are based on 3 unconsciously determined traits
Approachability: full lips, broad mouth
Youthful-attractiveness: wide eyes, feminine features
Dominance: masculine features
How to take a better profile photo
Frame the shot from waist-up or head & shoulders
Close-ups on the face = less likable
Full-body shots = less competent and influential
Define your jawline through well-placed shadows
Flat lighting = less competent and influential
Squint slightly
Wide eyes = more vulnerable, less competent
Smile with your teeth
Closed-mouth smile = 2X less likeable than a smile showing teeth
Ditch the sunglasses
Blocking your eyes = less likeable
Dress in dark suits and white button downs
Informal dress = less competent and influential
Evaluate photos of yourself through crowdsourcing platforms such as Photofeeler―you’ll get specific feedback and might be surprised at the results
Text/Bio
Social/Romantic
On dating sites, text descriptions account for only 10% of people’s impressions
Pictures may get more attention, but text gets deeper connections
In 2013, OkCupid removed all pictures on its site for “Love Is Blind Day”
During the text-only period, users…
Responded to messages 44% more often
Exchanged contact info more quickly
Engaged in deeper conversations
How to write a better “About Me” section
70% about you
Men prefer women who value fitness and seem kind and approachable
Women prefer men who take risks and seem brave
30% about what you want in a date
e.g. “I’d like someone to go hiking with.”
Professional
Dates might not read much, but recruiters do
70% of employers screen candidates on social media before hiring
Some say a LinkedIn summary is now more important now than a resume
How to write a better professional summary
Keep it short: highlight big successes and achievements
Tell a story: show who you are, not just what you’ve done
Don’t be all business: mention hobbies, interests, passions
Video
A short video gives a more accurate impression than just words and pictures
Allows you to use nonverbal cues to convey personality and mood
Demonstrates how you move, speak, smile, and laugh
Removes viewer’s bias when judging static images
A University of Texas study found
First impressions from videos or face-to-face meetings are more positive than from photos
On the Internet, a first impression is an only impression—you won’t get another chance once they’ve clicked away
Your Personal Brand Should Impress
First impressions can affect
Court decisions
Election results
Professional evaluations
Use the Halo Effect to your advantage
The assumption that because someone has some positive qualities, they also have other positive qualities
Because she is attractive, she is also fun to be around
Because he writes well, he is also a competent worker
You have a short window to make an impression online
How long people spend viewing…
Dating profiles
Women: 84 seconds
Men: 58 seconds
Websites
10-20 seconds
Show the world you’re a hot commodity with a great online personal brand
Sources: https://www.statista.com/statistics/273476/percentage-of-us-population-with-a-social-network-profile https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/blog/linkedin-workforce-report-september-2017 https://www.match.com/cp.aspx?cpp=/cppp/magazine/article0.html&articleid=4671 https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/289278 http://www.pnas.org/content/111/32/E3353.full.pdfNew Research Study Breaks Down “The Perfect Profile Photo”https://theblog.okcupid.com/we-experiment-on-human-beings-5dd9fe280cd5 https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/sex-murder-and-the-meaning-life/201503/science-and-the-online-dating-profile http://press.careerbuilder.com/2017-06-15-Number-of-Employers-Using-Social-Media-to-Screen-Candidates-at-All-Time-High-Finds-Latest-CareerBuilder-Study https://www.fastcompany.com/40426311/recruiters-explain-what-the-worst-linkedin-profiles-have-in-common https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/02/140214111207.htm https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3267862 https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/am-i-right/201302/the-power-first-impressions http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20120207006032/en/Tobii-Technology-AB-Catch-Valentine%E2%80%99s-Eye-Online https://www.nngroup.com/articles/how-long-do-users-stay-on-web-pages
