Stand out on LinkedIn: Ian Proctor’s top tips to build an authentic personal brand

Here Ian Proctor Sales Director at Digital Edge, shares his tips on how to be authentic on LinkedIn:

1. Be authentic and share your story

Show your true self: skip the over-polished posts. Let your personality and genuine voice shine through. Authentic stories and emotions create real connections.

Get personal: Get Personal: Share not just your successes but also the challenges and failures you’ve faced. Honest insights can resonate deeply with your network and foster genuine connections.

Respect your privacy: share what you’re comfortable with. Authenticity doesn’t mean disclosing everything, so maintain your personal boundaries.

2. Engage, engage, engage

Interactive posts: use questions, create polls, and encourage discussions in the comments. This shows you value your connection’s input and are open to conversation.

Be thoughtful: when engaging with others’ posts, be genuine and insightful. Avoid generic responses and offer your unique perspective.

Acknowledge contributions: recognise and appreciate others’ contributions by liking, sharing, or commenting on their posts.

3. Highlight your personality

Humour and positivity: don’t shy away from using humour and being positive. A light-hearted approach can make your content more relatable and enjoyable.

Show your interests: share posts about your hobbies, volunteer work, snippets from your daily life, or other interests outside of your professional life. This helps paint a fuller picture of who you are.

Celebrate your wins: share your milestones, such as completing a certification, reaching a goal, or celebrating work anniversaries. It adds a personal touch to your professional profile.

4. Use your own voice

Natural language: write in a way that reflects how you speak. Avoid formal jargon or corporate jargon unless it aligns with your style.

Consistency: maintain a consistent tone and style across your profile, posts, and interactions. This helps people get a sense of who you are.

Core beliefs: talk about what you stand for whether in your work, your industry, or broader social issues. Sharing your values helps others understand what drives you.

5. Share valuable content

Curate and create: share articles, insights, and resources that are valuable to your audience. Combine curated content with your original thoughts to add a unique perspective.

Write articles: use LinkedIn’s publishing platform to write longer-form content. Share your expertise on topics you’re passionate about and invite discussion.

Incorporate multimedia: Use images, videos, and infographics to make your posts more engaging. Visuals can capture attention better than text alone.

By following these tips, you can use LinkedIn creatively to build a strong, authentic personal brand that stands out and resonates with your network.