Bee Elite

What is Personal Branding?

Personal branding isn’t just for influencers or celebrities—it’s for anyone who wants to make a mark in their field. It’s how you present yourself to the world, both online and offline, and it’s what sets you apart from others in your industry. Think of it as your unique story and value, communicated to the people who matter most to you.

Why Does Personal Branding Matter?

In today’s digital world, people will likely Google you before meeting you. What they find—your LinkedIn profile, social media accounts, or personal website—makes up your personal brand. A strong personal brand can help you:

  • Attract career opportunities
  • Build trust and credibility
  • Stand out in a competitive market

Key Elements of Personal Branding

  1. Your Story: What drives you? What are your passions, values, and goals? Sharing this creates a connection with your audience.
  2. Your Expertise: Highlight what you’re good at and what you bring to the table. This could be skills, knowledge, or achievements.
  3. Your Presence: How do you show up online? This includes your tone, the content you share, and your visual identity (e.g., profile photo, logo, or website).

Building Your Personal Brand

  1. Define Your Niche: What do you want to be known for? Focus on an area where you can showcase expertise and passion.
  2. Be Consistent: From the way you write to the colours you use in your posts, consistency helps people recognise and remember you.
  3. Engage Authentically: Share your thoughts, connect with others in your field, and don’t be afraid to show a bit of your personality.

Personal Branding Is a Journey

Your personal brand will evolve as you grow, so don’t stress about perfection. The key is to start small: update your LinkedIn profile, write a blog post, or share insights on social media. Over time, these small actions add up to a strong, authentic personal brand.

Remember: You already have a personal brand—it’s what people say about you when you’re not in the room. The question is, are you shaping it or leaving it to chance?

5 reasons why selfies might be the key to increasing engagement on LinkedIn

Have you noticed more selfies cropping up on your LinkedIn feed of late? It seems that LinkedIn is becoming the new Facebook, with more people willing to share a little of their personal life and selfies taken on an ordinary camera phone as popular as formal business portraits. So why do selfies seem to attract so much engagement?

Well here are five reasons why:

1. People are attracted to human faces. Among a sea of text posts, stock photography and graphics, you will stand out. Angled shots, interesting backgrounds or you doing something unexpected will grab attention.

2. Selfies taken in the moment give a insight into you. They are not staged or posed and this can help make you more relatable, building trust and rapport with your audience.

3. People assign more meaning to images that have people they know in it. If you know your network and they know you, a selfie will naturally grab their attention.

4. People are curious. A snapshot of you in your business doing your thing allows your clients to get a sneak peak behind the scenes.

5. The pandemic normalised photographs taken in natural and familiar environments. People shared their experiences of mixing business and home life, and ever since, the selfie snapshot has taken on a power of its own.

So, if you want to embrace the power of the selfie, go for it. It will give others an insight into you are, improve your likeability and ultimately boost your engagement.

Want to learn more about LinkedIn optimisation and engagement, feel free to get in touch with us.

5 ways to make your LinkedIn profile stand out

1. Optimise Your Headline

Your headline is the first thing people see, so make it catchy and clear. Go beyond just your job title—add keywords or describe what you do. For example:

  • “Marketing Strategist | Helping Businesses Thrive with Data-Driven Campaigns”
  • “Web Designer | Creating User-Friendly, High-Converting Websites”

2. Use a Professional and Approachable Profile Photo

Your photo should reflect your personality and professionalism. Choose one with good lighting, a clean background, and a friendly smile. Avoid selfies or overly casual shots.

3. Craft a Compelling ‘About’ Section

Tell your story in a conversational yet professional tone. Highlight your expertise, career achievements, and what drives you. End with a call to action, like encouraging readers to connect with you or check out your portfolio.

Example:
“As a digital marketing specialist with 10+ years of experience, I thrive on helping businesses grow online. From SEO to email campaigns, I’ve built strategies that deliver measurable results. Let’s connect if you want to collaborate or learn more about my work!”

4. Showcase Your Work and Achievements

Use the ‘Featured’ section to display examples of your work—articles, projects, presentations, or videos. Add measurable results in your experience section to demonstrate your impact. For instance:

  • “Increased website traffic by 45% in 6 months through a targeted SEO strategy.”

5. Engage with Your Network

Post valuable content, comment on industry-related posts, and join groups in your field. Sharing insights or achievements regularly will keep you visible and position you as a thought leader.

✨ Bonus Tip: Make sure your LinkedIn URL is customised (e.g., linkedin.com/in/yourname) to look more professional and easier to share.