With the start of every new year, we hear a lot of talk about “making a brand new you”. But what if we think about a “Brand new you”? What’s your personal brand? Is it time for a new one? Is so, how do you create and maintain your personal brand in today’s digital world?

Here are 5 ways to create a “Brand new you” and make that brand shine.

Think of yourself as a brand

Branding has long been the focus for corporations and products. Well, why not you? Creating a clearly defined brand for yourself give you the foundation you need. There are plenty of brainstorming exercises out there to help you get to the root of the question: what is brand you?

Build your digital presence

If you haven’t already, create a website for yourself (using your name, or as close to it as is available). Also, secure the social media accounts using that same handle. Consistency is key! It makes it easier for people to follow you and also is great for SEO purposes.

Act like a brand

Once you’ve completed your branding exercises, it’s time to be more strategic about your digital presence. Follow best practices about content and posting times – no one is going to see your brilliant Instagram photo if you wait until midnight to post it. As you go through your day, keep your eyes open for branding opportunities. You’ll truly start to see things though a new filter and take those moments to tweet, post and engage.

Audit your digital presence

Just like in the offline world, people are talking about you in the online world. The best way to be part of the conversation is to monitor it and actively engage. Be prepared though – not everything is going to be flattering. You can’t control that. But you can control your response and make sure you steer the conversation to get back on brand for you.

Speak as a brand

Before you tweet or post a photo to Instagram, consider this: is it truly the ‘you’ that you want to be? Or is it something that is temporarily funny but doesn’t stay true to your brand? Creating and maintaining “Brand you” is something that requires a lot of thoughtful consideration before action.