Blogs are becoming important personal branding tools for IT workers. At the end of day, notes one recruiter, “You are the chief marketing officer for the brand called you, but what others say about your brand is more impactful than what you say about yourself.” In other words, branding yourself is just one part of the challenge, while building credibility is another. The article highlights examples from other IT employees who have taken advantage of the opportunities by blogging, made themselves more visible, and earned credibility in the process.
In creating a brand for yourself online, you need to make your blog visible. Post meaningful entries, comment on your industry’s top blogs, and strive to gain a regular readership. At the end of the day, visibility creates opportunities. The goal of personal branding is to be recruited based on your brand, not by applying for jobs. Once you know what you can bring to the table, actively promote your brand. As you write about software development and business, think about ways to encourage customers to care about what you write.
Bloggers can build credibility through the content listed on their blogs. They can also mention if they are available for speaking engagements and interviews or detail all the publications they have been featured in. Having a press section allows the reader to see your credentials, and gauge for themselves what your brand is all about. Credibility is being built, especially when visitors to the blog see that you’ve been quoted in some of the top publications within their industry. Additionally, comments help, showing that people are engaged with your content and want to respond. Another small but important detail is to list any industry or web awards your blog has earned as a way of promoting your brand.
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6 May, 2008 - 09:22 PM
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