What personal branding trend will dominate 2016?
The following answers are provided by members of Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, YEC recently launched BusinessCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses.
1. Publishing Online
“While speaking at events has value, I see more and more entrepreneurs becoming contributors. Writing for a personal blog or media outlets relevant to their business allows entrepreneurs to position themselves as an expert in their field and reach a large audience. It also has a far greater ROI than most other personal branding initiatives.”
Carlo Cisco, SELECT
2. Influencer Marketing
“Influencer marketing will continue to grow in 2016. There is no better way to grow your brand than to have other credible people give you endorsements. This is a rising trend for companies; 80 percent of consumer businesses are planning on pursuing a marketing strategy involving influencer marketing. I think it’s only a matter of time before that same logic is applied to personal branding.”
3. Less Curating of Our Lives on Social Media
“Let’s face it: we post only the pretty, glamorous, exotic, fun, adventurous stuff on social media. But it isn’t the whole truth. I’m guilty of this, and I bet you are too. Earlier in the year, I opened up about a really tough business situation I was in. My audience appreciated the transparency because they got to see the not-so-glamorous side of my life and business and learn from it.”
Natalie MacNeil, She Takes on the World
4. Author Profiles on Large Media Websites
“Updating your LinkedIn profile every now and again won’t separate you from the millions of other professionals out there. Only those who can contribute meaningful insights on media websites with large audiences will cut through and be able to successfully position themselves as thought leaders. Develop a one-pager expert profile PDF that you can submit as your application; then get ready to write.”
5. Real Time Vlogging With Periscope
“Video blogging has been around for some time, but it’s easier than ever now to produce video content and promote it online. Platforms such as Periscope provide a unique opportunity to livestream special events or announcements, putting you live in front of your audience. This is a great way to engage with your audience or customers while putting a face to your name.”
Andy Karuza, brandbuddee
6. Using Personal Brand to Represent Your Company
“In today’s day and age, not only are the companies talked about but so are the people running them. Rather than local companies being highlighted in our area, I often see the key team members being spoken of instead. These executives usually have a large social media following, and can impact the local community through their personal brand!”
Marc Devisse, Tri-Town Construction
7. Podcasts
“Podcasts are a great personal branding tool. Whether you have your own podcast or you appear as a guest on podcasts, it’s a growing trend in personal branding. It’s a great way for entrepreneurs starting out to establish themselves as thought leaders and experts in their field.”
Brian David Crane, Caller Smart Inc.
8. LinkedIn Profiles Replacing Resumes
“LinkedIn will replace the traditional use of resumes in 2016 due to both website integration — giving people the ability to apply via jobs websites with their LinkedIn profile — and the increasing prevalence of companies requesting only your LinkedIn URL before proceeding in the application process.”
Luigi Wewege, Vivier Group
9. Social Videos
“Instead of connecting via textual messages and posts on social media, individuals will use videos to captivate new audiences. With the launch of Instagram’s new channel, Snapchat and other social platforms designed to feature video messages, individuals wanting to strengthen their brand need to have video capacity and create videos that entertain and captivate.”
Marcela DeVivo, Homeselfe
10. Instagram for Professional Networking
“People, as opposed to straight brands, will start to use Instagram to represent their professional lives. You’ll start to see Instagram accounts used like Twitter accounts, where individuals will use the platform to connect and network with other professionals.”
11. Reach and Influence
“Reid Hoffman, Founder and Chairman of LinkedIn, states the future of personal branding will be viewing yourself as a startup. Previously you were ahead of the curve if you maintained a personal brand. Going forward, it will be about providing reach and influence, not just being active. You will need to find your niche and show positive signals of expertise backed up by social proof.”
12. Mixing Business With Personal
“Including some aspects of your personal life on professional social media channels will become more common. Executives know this makes them seem more well-rounded and approachable, which boosts their reach. Recruiters will be on the look out for people who display behavior on social media that would add value at their own company, so there will be a huge incentive to share more personal details.”
Dave Nevogt, Hubstaff.com
