How to Build a Strong Online Brand

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Are you ready to DOMINATE the Internet?????

Your Online Brand Matters

A strong portfolio of writing on HubPages can serve as an excellent mooring point for one's broaderonline presence, however building a noteworthy online brand involves no small amount of effort andengagement across several different websites.

Why is having a strong online brand worth the effort required to build and maintain it? The perks ofhaving a noteworthy presence on the Internet include:

More traffic to your Hubs

A larger following of people who read your Hubs because they are interested in your work; notbecause they have randomly found them in search engine results

A higher likelihood that readers will share your Hubs

Greater general credibility

A higher probability of being contacted by the media

A more attractive online persona to present to potential clients and employers

A more flattering and controlled collection of results that appear when people search for you onGoogle

A richer, more engaging online experience

Crafting a Great Username

Before choosing a username, think of how you would like to brand yourself as a writer. ManyHubbers use their real name or a pen name so that potential employers or other readers know whothey are and are aware of the quality of their writing. When you create high quality Hubs, you arecreating a name for yourself as a legitimate writer and contributor of useful information to the web.

Your real name: It is up to you whether you use your real name or not. If you are building a brandaround your name, it's a great idea. However, if you touch on topics that you'd otherwise beuncomfortable discussing in public, you might need to think twice about using your real name. Oneadvantage of using your real name is credibility. If potential employers search for you online, theycan find your high quality work on HubPages and get to know you as a superior author. Anotherreason to use your real name is that Google is adding weight to cross-platform online publishingbehavior.

Your topic of interest: You might be very interested in quilting, so calling yourself Quilting Jim mightseem like a good idea. But how's that going to look if you start publishing articles on other subjects?In this case, having a specific topic-centric name might not be the best idea.

A pen name: This might be advisable if you want a touch of anonymity. A name that is original andunique, but that you have used elsewhere on the web is a good idea.

Keep in mind that once you have registered a name on HubPages, you can't change it (though youcan always close your account and register a new name). Unfortunately, you can't transfer yourHubs from one account to another, so choosing your name wisely from the get-go is a great idea!

Note: Usernames that are vulgar, trademarked, or encourage/incite violence are not permitted onHubPages.

Choose Carefully

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Is username the type of name a potential reader would want to "hear from"?

Choosing the Right Image

The image(s) you choose to represent yourself online make a huge impact, and we recommendputting a lot of careful thought into your selection.

Just as we encourage you to use your real name, we also encourage you to use a real photo ofyourself, preferably a straightforward headshot (a high quality, well-lit, flattering one, of course). Ifyou would prefer to remain anonymous online, that's fine- in that case, just make sure that the imageyou choose for your online profiles is...

Easily-recognizable

Properly-used (i.e. do not steal another's image to which you do not have rights)

Of high quality (not blurry, pixelated, or watermarked)

Appropriate (no porn, nudity, or other fun bits of flesh)

When selecting a Profile photo for HubPages, try to use an image that is 200 by 200 pixels or larger.Anything smaller might leave you with a pixelated avatar in some instances.

While many Hubbers choose to use illustrations and abstract photos as their profile images, using aphoto of yourself can add a professional polish to your profile and Hubs, and is ideal if you seek tobuild a strong online writing career.

Uploading a Profile image is on HubPages easy, just use the following instructions:

Click My Account Profile Edit Profile

Click "upload photo" (or, if you already have one, click the text below the photo to change it)

You will then be prompted to choose a new image from your computer, upload it, and crop it

We Recommend Real Portraits

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We recommend using a high quality, well-lit photo of yourself.

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Custom-made, abstract images might not be the best way to go....

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Though if you're out to build a unique, creative brand, by all means let your personality shinethrough!

Writing an Effective Bio

Your Profile biography along with your Profile image are two things which will set you apart frombeing a faceless character on HubPages (and other sites). Here are a few tips when writing yourpersonal bio:

Give people a clear, succinct taste of your purpose as an online content creator

Clearly establish what sets you apart from the crowd

Avoid personal rants and grammatical mistakes

Be alluring, brief, polished, and professional

Be honest

While you cannot add links to your bio on HubPages, you can add links to your social media profilesin the links fields lower down on the Edit Profile page. You can also select special backgrounds,choose Hubs that you would like to feature on the Profile page's main carousel, update your locationand real name as it is configured on your Profile, and edit Accolade display settings, but thosesmaller details can always be addressed at a later date. When it comes to basic presentation onHubPages, one's username, bio, and profile image make the biggest impact.

Keep Your Bio Short and Sweet

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Don't write a novel; try to distill your essence into a few polished, succinct sentences.

Cultivating Areas of Expertise

It is much easier to develop a strong online brand if you can be associated with a particular subjectarea. While HubPages is a great place to publish articles on a wide variety of topics, considerselecting a specific niche, publishing as many Hubs as possible within that niche, and establishingyourself as an online expert on that particular subject.

To get a fantastic insight into a branded profile, take a look at Michael Aures Cavalieri and view howit's set up and get a better notion. Branding yourself is extremely important.

How to Highlight Your Expertise on Your HubPages Profile Page

In addition to establishing your expertise in your bio on HubPages, you can also highlight Hubsshowcasing your special qualifications on the "In the Spotlight" carousel of your Profile (which, if leftalone, will simply display the most recent Hub you have published).

To be eligible for the "In the Spotlight" carousel, a Hub must have an image that is at least 200pixels by 150 pixels, so it is possible that not all of your Hubs will appear in the dropdown menu asoptions. You can include up to six Hubs at one time

Hubs in this carousel do not have to be Featured. Putting a Hub in the carousel does not make itFeatured. "Featured" Hubs are Hubs that are shown on related Hubs and Topic pages while alsobeing made available to search engines. Unless you have specified otherwise under My AccountProfile Edit Profile, only Featured Hubs will appear on the general Hub feed visible on your Profilepage (we recommend that those who are interested in getting significant search traffic keep it thatway).

You can learn more about them in our guide to Featured Hubs and the Quality Assessment Process.

Should you have trouble identifying a specific subject you would like to be associated with, askyourself:

What specific skill sets, certifications, and credentials set me apart from other people?

When people ask me for advice, what type of advice do they typically seek?

Which of my Hubs are most successful?

What am I most passionate about in life?

What do I enjoy writing about most?

Do I have a mission in life? What message do I want to convey to the world?

Once you have identified areas of expertise you might like to cultivate, do a bit of keyword research.If it looks as though it would not be impossible for you to dominate a particular subject area (byproviding superior online resources and commentary), have a go at making yourself the go-to experton that topic.

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Is your imaging and messaging consistent across multiple platforms?

Managing Your Image

After selecting a particular area of expertise with which you will associate yourself, be sure to referto that subject in your bio across all publishing platforms and social networks. Anyone visiting one ofyour profiles should be able to very quickly understand that you are an expert on this particularsubject.

In addition to keeping your bio consistent across multiple platforms, also be sure to share links andposts that are consistent with the image you are building. If you aim to establish yourself as anexpert on professionalism, for example, it would not be a good idea to have a Pinterest boarddedicated to fart jokes, or to post a bunch of Facebook photos from your bachelorette party (unlessyour Facebook privacy settings are extremely well-maintained and controlled).

Consistent messaging and posting should be complemented by consistent visual markers. Make apoint of using the same username and profile photo across all of your sites and social media profiles.

All together, this unified messaging, content, and visual appearance will make you far morememorable.

Becoming an Active Community Member

You will not be able to cultivate a noteworthy online presence without actively engaging with yourreaders and followers on HubPages.

Consider the people that you like to follow- both on HubPages and elsewhere. If these individuals arenot already notable public figures or famous celebrities, writers, or newscasters (who do not havethe capacity to actively engage with their readers to the same extent that normal people do),chances are they make an effort to respond to their readers and engage their followers in activedialogue.

If you are not already famous, chances are you'll have to do the same. Don't worry though- being anactive community member does not take all that much effort. Just make a point of:

Reading others' work and leaving meaningful, insightful comments: This increases your visibility onthe site, as others will see your comments on people's articles, and are more likely to check out yourwork after receiving comments from you on their own work.

Participating in HubPages special programs: Engaging in programs such as HubPages Challengesand our contests boosts your brand on HubPages by exposing you to our power users and a highvolume of silent onlookers.

Getting involved as a HubPages volunteer: Consider applying for the HubGreeter program, whichinvolves welcoming new Hubbers. By mentoring new entrants to the community, you can gain loyalfollowers.

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Building Activity Across Multiple Platforms

To develop a robust online presence, it is not enough to simply publish a lot of Hubs and be an activeHubPages community member. You must also cultivate a strong presence on other social mediasites, such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Google+.

Consider reviewing our specific Learning Center guides to Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, andGoogle+ for additional advice on using each social media platform in a way that maximises time,enjoyment, and positive branding.

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Statistics to Go By

Major signs of progress include inquiries from the press, an increased number of comments onHubs, Facebook posts, Google+ posts, and Pins (not to mention @replies on Twitter), and your workor name showing up in Google Search results for keywords related to your area of expertise.

To further track the efficacy of your online branding efforts over time, we recommend referring tothe following statistics:

Friends and followers across social media platforms: If these numbers consistently grow, you aredoing a good job.

HubPages followers and traffic: If these numbers are also enjoying a steady increase, you know youare on the right track.

Your Klout Score: Though not perfect, this metric combines influence and engagement over multiplemainstream platforms. It is a particularly good sign if you find that the Klout topics you're influentialabout are associated with the area of expertise you are cultivating.

Your Kred Score: Similar to Klout, Kred measures influence and outreach based on your Twitter andFacebook behavior. By connecting your Twitter and Facebook accounts with Kred, you can moreeasily monitor your followers, replies, mentions, and links.

Last updated on November 4, 2014

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