Does the idea of branding yourself feel uncomfortable? Not natural? Too pushy/arrogant?
Let’s approach digital branding and reputation from a refreshing perspective. One that is rooted in what already comes naturally to you: your core values. Those tangible and intangible things that are priceless. Work ethic, family, financial security, service to others, etc. These make up you, they drive your decisions even down to your career path and who your friends are.
So how are your values found in your digital decisions and reputation online? Scroll through your Instagram and look for your values. Find how your interact in times of conflict or celebration on Facebook – or even your sign off message on email? Are you able to back up why you are or are not on a digital communication tool because it doesn’t align with your core values?
My research on senior executives on college campuses discovered that connecting offline values into online strategy fueled stronger relationships, alleviated digital decisions related to a purposeful digital reputation and quite frankly made the executives feel more relatable to students who they aimed to connect with. You can read more about this study in my latest co-edited book, Engaging the Digital Generation.
Any digital presence you have chosen to pursue is already concreting your reputation – whether you have been reflective about what you post or not. You may be thinking about your brand online for a job search, expanding your network or the nature of your senior level position in your organization. If you are being pushed into an online presence, it needs to come with more of strategy than creating a Twitter and tweeting once in a while. You will feel disappointed in social media. You’ll leave your accounts silent like a graveyard.
If you seek a successful long-term approach to building your digital brand, then infuse your values into your strategy then infuse your values into your strategy.
Aligning your values into your digital brand will humanize your approach to tech tools, the relationships built around them and elevate your presence as a leader in the digital space. I
If you had to pick your top three values – how have they and/or could they shine online?
This post is part of my monthly newsletter series, Digital Leadership Download. To receive the latest on Digital Leadership in Higher Ed, subscribe below!
