Personal branding is all the rage? True. But the idea is by no means new. Big players in particular have long understood that people are more trustworthy than companies. With around 36 million followers, for example, Bill Gates has nearly twice as many LinkedIn followers as Microsoft.

‍

“Now you’re probably thinking: Sure, but that’s Bill Gates. However, we can assure you that the effort is worthwhile for founders, C-level executives, PR professionals, and communications leaders too. This applies equally to SMEs, scale-ups, and start-ups, because LinkedIn brings together people from diverse levels of hierarchy, industries, and professions. A strong personal brand can therefore make a decisive contribution to the success of your company or your offering.

The focus is less on past achievements, such as your résumé or references, and more on valuable content and your personality. Done well, personal branding is always authentic-feeling storytelling. So it doesn’t require you to change who you are—it mainly takes the courage to step into the spotlight. And a little strategy. That’s where we’re happy to help.”

#1 – Goals: Get Your Personal Brand on Track

Before you get started, ask yourself: What is your goal, your mission? Identify exactly what you want to achieve with your personal brand. Is it about expanding your network? Increasing your visibility? Building credibility? Focus on one or two key objectives—and use them to define your target audience: Do you want to reach journalists, fellow entrepreneurs, or potential future employees? Think carefully about who you’re addressing and what interests and needs they have.

#2 – Positioning: Stand Out Without Getting Carried Away

A strong positioning is essential for successful personal branding—no surprise there. So think carefully about what you want to stand for, and be aware of the different impressions your focus can create. Your profile shouldn’t become a diary, nor should you try to cover every single one of your interests. Self-congratulation isn’t a good idea either.

Ultimately, positioning is about authentically putting your core values and strengths front and center in a way that provides real value.

Why not ask a few people who know you well in a business context to describe in three words what sets you and your work apart? Then describe yourself in three words. Where do they overlap? Can you derive key topics from these terms? What tone of voice feels right for your personal brand? How often should you post? Capture the results and insights in a strategy document. (If it runs longer than one page, that’s a sign it’s getting too complex. Go back to the drawing board and strip it down to the essentials.)

#3 – Profile: Design Your Digital Business Card

Your profile setup is also incredibly important. Alongside a concise résumé (which should always be up to date!), there are a few other things to keep in mind: Make sure to choose a profile picture where you’re clearly recognizable. Private snapshots and sunglasses, for example, are a no-go. You can also use your cover image strategically; if you want to position yourself as a speaker, for instance, choose a photo of yourself on stage. Don’t use your headline solely for job titles—use it to communicate your values, too. If you turn on Creator Mode, you can track specific insights and increase your profile’s visibility through topic hashtags.

Once your profile is ready, give it a final check: Are your visuals and language consistent with your target audience and strategy? Does the overall package feel cohesive? Which part do you like best? What could still use some work?

#4 – Content Creation: Storytelling Is Queen (and King, No Worries)

LinkedIn is a social business network, so no one really cares what you had for lunch. (That’s what Instagram is for.) Instead, your content should always support your goals and positioning. To do this, explore the many different post formats LinkedIn offers: If you want to position yourself as an expert, for example, it can make sense to publish your own articles from time to time. If interaction is part of your strategy, why not run a poll? Want to be associated with a particular zeitgeist topic? Then share interesting links to relevant industry articles.

Our Four Quick Tips for Creating Content

1. Paragraphs are everything! Structure your post thoughtfully and use text blocks strategically.
2. Make your post irresistible with a catchy opening line.
3. Consistency pays off in the long run—through topics, tone of voice, emojis, and more.
4. With the Chrome extension “AuthoredUp,” you can plan your posts in advance.

#5 – Networking: Connect Like a Pro

Now that everything is ready, there’s just one thing missing: your network. Use the different filters in the search function to connect strategically with people who are relevant to you and your personal brand. Engage with their posts and leave comments—but avoid generic fluff and instead respond specifically to what they’ve shared. Your perspective should add real value.

A personalized message can also be useful from time to time. (Just be careful not to spam.) Also, review the connection requests you receive and actively reject suspicious profiles and bots. After all, too many unanswered requests can negatively affect your Social Selling Index.

Last but not least

Don’t overcomplicate it—just get started. And have fun! Every personal brand started from zero at some point. What experience have you already had with the topic? What’s your next step to get started? Tell us in the comments on LinkedIn (where else!).