Did you know, the correlation between content discovery and your personal brand could be what’s preventing you from growing, networking, and expanding?
If you’re a complete novice (and let’s be real, we all once were), the link between content discovery and personal branding may go completely over your head. After all, what could the two possibly have in common?
(Source: GIPHY)
Still not got it? Well, if you have, kudos to you because it took me quite some time to wrap my head around it.
Is she smart? Yes…but is she slow? Most definitely.
Does she now know what she’s talking about? Yes, she does.
Let’s start by breaking it down.
- What is Content Discovery?
- Personal Branding 101
- How Do You Know if Your Personal Brand Is Successful?
- Does Personal Branding Matter?
- Content Discovery vs. Personal Branding vs. Thought Leadership – What’s the Connection?
- Improve Your Personal Brand and Become a Thought Leader Through Content Discovery
What is Content Discovery?
It is what it says it is.
The definition of ‘content discovery’ is quite simple: content that can be discovered.
This can range from actively seeking content to share, learn from or use as a base for discussion and education to the act of putting your work and ideas “out there” to be uncovered.
Where Can You Discover Content?
We’ve all heard the term: “the world is your oyster”. Whilst the philosophical soul within me agrees, I believe that (in modern times) it appears as though the internet is the true oyster.
(Source: GIPHY)
The evolution of the internet (and technology in general) now means that at the click of a button or the swipe of a finger, we can access all of the information we could ever need, desire, or even require.
And to be honest, we Content Curators at Quuu can vouch for this because we review content every day and continuously learn new things.
So, to answer the question: ‘how do you discover content?’
It’s simple – via the internet.
Some examples of sources are:
- YouTube (watching and listening to videos)
- News outlets
- Google alerts
- Blog posts
- Podcasts
- Newsletters
- Tuning in to webinars
- Social media
- Content discovery tools (such as Quuu and Quuu Discover)
In all honesty, it’s an entirely individual thing.
(Source: What Mobile)
You can access content from anywhere (your local library included!) So, you get the gist.
But today, we’re going to focus on the digital.
Personal Branding 101
Essentially, your personal brand is you.
It’s you making a conscious effort to influence others through positioning yourself as an authoritative leader.
Now don’t take the term “authoritative leader” too seriously. It doesn’t mean that if you aren’t established, you aren’t able to influence. Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day, so enjoy the process.
It is just a fancy way of saying you’re a reliable, trustworthy, and respected individual that can influence others.
Ultimately, your personal brand (and personal branding) comes down to how you portray yourself to others, your sector, and the digital community as a whole.
It’s a combination of this and the amount of influence you have on others.
It also comes down to how knowledgeable, reliable, and trustworthy your data, opinions, and suggestions are.
Take people’s opinions of you as a prime example. If you’ve been described as intellectual, creative, humorous, or a good communicator at some point in your life then this is part of your personal brand.
Mashable came up with an idea (a sort of equation, to be precise) that believes if your self-impression is the same as how others perceive you, then you are on the road to success.
(Source: GIPHY)
How Do You Know if Your Personal Brand Is Successful?
It’s simple. You need to take a look at yourself, ask yourself some questions, and be brutally honest. It’s daunting, I know, but yo’ mamas didn’t raise quitters.
- What is your personal brand or your purpose? Do you:
- Solve pain points?
- Share unique, inspiring ideas?
- Spark debates?
- Provide ongoing, well-informed, and up-to-date education?
- Do you have brand incentives? Are you:
- Honest?
- Transparent?
- Energetic?
- Inspiring?
- Are you attracting the right audience?
- What is your current reputation?
- Do people perceive you as you would like?
- How are you different? What makes you stand out?
- Are you discoverable? How easy is it to find you and your content online?
The answers to these questions will help define your personal brand, and provide insight into areas that could be improved.
You should also consider your ‘brand associations’ such as:
- What is your brand voice?
This refers to the way you communicate. Think of it as your ‘style’.
What words and phrases do or don’t you use? What’s your tone? Is it informal or formal? Your brand voice needs to remain consistent.
- What are your aesthetics?
Your aesthetics refer to the visual look and appearance of your content. Think images, fonts, and colour schemes.
Colours hold power and create feelings, so it’s essential to incorporate these. Aesthetics help demonstrate and establish brand personalities, moods and tones.
(Source: Graphic Springs)
If that’s not persuaded you, studies prove that brand consistency can increase your revenue by 23%. So, seriously, consider your aesthetics.
- What is your position?
What does your brand stand for?
Purpose (why you exist), proposition (what you have to offer), and again, personality (how you behave and how you communicate).
Defining your position can help clarify your personal brand, your goals and opportunities.
These, combined, matter a great deal (more than you might think!)
Although you may leave a lasting impression yourself, sometimes it’s the little things that people remember like: specific colour schemes, fonts, language used, or even “props”.
Get creative!
Does Personal Branding Matter?
The long and short of it is: yes.
Your personal brand is who you are. It’s what you stand for; your reputation; it’s an essential part of building a solid brand or business.
If you want to succeed, reach your goals, improve your network, success-rate or even become a thought leader, you need to check yo’ self.
(Source: GIPHY)
How Does Content Discovery Come Into Things?
Hold your horses, Larry; we’re getting there!
(Source: GIPHY)
Remember we touched on the questions you should ask yourself? Well, that is where content discovery comes into play.
You see, once you are brutally honest with yourself on where your personal brand is at, you’ll gain greater clarity on what you can do to improve it.
Content discovery can help build your personal brand by educating yourself and expanding your knowledge.
It can help you to remain updated on trends, challenges, and sector predictions. Invoke future ideas and discussions and provide an opportunity to educate yourself further than your field.
I mean, yes, it serves to have complete knowledge of your field. But why stop there?
Why not educate yourself in areas that can help you further? Could reading up on social media marketing, digital advertising, or SEO benefit you?
Remember, “the internet is your oyster”.
Content Discovery vs. Personal Branding vs. Thought Leadership – What’s the Connection?
At some point in our lives, we’ve all heard the famous quote: “knowledge is power”. So, what is meant by that?
Well, knowledge stems from experience and education, which then transpires into stored information and skills. So, the more opportunities, education, and experiences you expose yourself to, the more knowledge you will obtain.
The more knowledge you obtain, the more wisdom you will possess. And the more knowledge and understanding you acquire, the more you have to offer others.
It’s a never-ending domino effect.
(Source: GIPHY)
In essence, expanding your knowledge and improving your education (through content discovery) will enable you to improve your personal brand.
This, in turn, will lead you to become a thought leader.
And let’s be real here, the ultimate goal for every personal brand is to become a thought leader.
So, what is a thought leader?
They are an educator, thought-provoker, innovator, and ‘go-to’ individual of a specific field.
Think of all the people (or personal brands) who you currently turn to for information, guidance, education, or purely for entertainment.
This includes the creators of the podcasts you listen to weekly, the YouTubers you stream daily, or the blogs and websites you frequently return to for information.
These are the individuals who have successfully built and established their personal brands and, in doing so, have solidified themselves as thought leaders.
So, how do you achieve that? How do you improve your personal brand and become a thought leader? Simply through content discovery.
Content discovery is the key to not only improving your personal brand but to becoming a thought leader.
It is what ties everything together. It is the connection that you’re either missing or have forgotten about.
Thought leadership is ultimately an extension of your personal brand. Think of it as a marketing strategy to get yourself “out there”.
Improve Your Personal Brand and Become a Thought Leader Through Content Discovery
It is, in fact, the consistency that creates a well-established personal brand and a thought leader.
That means remaining consistent across all mediums.
Consistency with your:
- Social media presence
- Personal brand
- Networking
But ultimately, with your self-development.
Ensure you are keeping updated with trends, changes, and challenges within your area of expertise.
From Forbes to Entrepreneur, there are plenty of guides on ‘how to become a thought leader’ and ‘how to improve your personal brand’. However, although they say they will tell you ‘how’ to do it, they don’t really tell you how…you know?
But not to worry – I got chu.
(Source: GIPHY)
It should come as no surprise that improving your brand or becoming a thought leader isn’t something that happens overnight.
Unfortunately, it takes a lot more than posting the odd blog, social media post, or interacting and engaging with others here and there.
There are key things that you should make sure you’ve got down, so, thankfully for you, I’ve compiled a list:
1. You Need Expertise in Your Area
This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to have formal qualifications to become a respected individual. However, it does serve to have a broad understanding.
I mean, how else do you expect to be the person that people turn to for reliable information?
You can gain insight, updates, and education from a variety of sources through content discovery. But rather than scanning the internet endlessly, why not utilise tools like Discover? It’s a one-stop source for all of the latest and most relevant information.
With Discover, you can find categorised content for specific fields from Digital Marketing, Social Media and SaaS; to Hairdressing, Vegan Lifestyle, and so much more.
Better yet, if you’re not big on reading through endless articles, you can narrow down your search to videos, podcasts and webinars.
Google, who?
2. Leave Your Followers Wanting More
(Source: Tenor)
This means consistently providing interesting, thought-provoking, and engaging content. But remember, you need to keep everything “on brand” if you want to establish yourself.
In saying that, it is understandable that providing intriguing pieces of content every day can be rather time-consuming. Whether this is a statement, an interesting article, information on the latest trends, or even just educational videos of “how-to” – it all takes up your time.
It’s even more time-consuming if you’re a team of one.
That’s why tools like Quuu can take that pressure off.
Subscribe to your categories of interest and get pieces of content sent to your social media channels daily, hassle-free. Content can vary from podcasts and blog posts to videos and webinars.
We’re here for you.
3. Progress Your Personal Brand Through Self-Development
Remember, consistency is vital.
If you want to stay at the top of your game, you need to evolve with your industry. That means keeping up-to-date with the latest trends and challenges.
Not only will you then be providing the latest for people to learn from, but you’ll also be able to make comments based on your education and market analysis.
4. Get Networking
This applies to all mediums – online and in real life.
There is no time to discriminate.
Did you know that in 2020 alone, nearly 4 billion people were actively using social media?
It’s pretty safe to say that you never know who is watching, or better yet, who is listening. All it takes is just one share, comment, or mention from a current industry leader, and you can be on your way to their level.
(Source: USAA)
My point? Connect with absolutely everyone – industry leaders and newbies alike. It’s not always what you know; it’s who you know (or even who they may know).
(Source: GIPHY)
Putting yourself out there can provide an abundance of opportunities, so go and exploit them. Attend conferences, webinars, and industry events. Seek speaking opportunities. Do not pass up any you are offered.
5. Listen and Keep Your Ears/Eyes Peeled
Listen not only to industry leaders but to those who reach out to you.
It’s a sad truth, but we can’t know everything.
Listening to others can provide you with even more opportunities to learn and develop. It’s also a great way to stay connected and expand your current knowledge. Not to mention providing valuable opportunities to avoid mistakes through learning from theirs.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions, as remember: “the more you know, the more you realise you don’t know”.
Conclusion
Ultimately, absolutely none of this matters if you fail at staying consistent.
So, bear in mind, it’s as easy as 1, 2, 3.
Create, connect, consistency.
(Source: GIPHY)
