Facebook Page Facelift: Improve Your Branding & Presence

With all the great advice on building your personal brand through blogging, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other networks, it's important to remember that all of this also applies to your Facebook presence.

Here are some key personal branding tips to help you improve your Facebook presence:

Marketing your personal brand. Before you do anything else, include your personal brand and key selling point or statement directly in your Facebook profile. You can do this in the "About Me" section below your profile picture, in the "About Me" section under the "Info" tab of your profile, and in a profile note. This will not only help you communicate and strengthen your brand to your current friends, but also to new friends, potential partners, or potential employers. – Chris Perry, CareerRocketeer.com

Claim your domain. The first step in personal branding on Facebook is to secure your own domain name on Facebook, if one is available (e.g., http://www.facebook.com/derrickhayes). Having your own Facebook URL makes it easier for others to find you, and it can be a great marketing tool to add to all your social media profiles, business cards, and email signatures. – Derrick Hayes, DerrickHayes.com

Optimize your keywords. Ask someone (in your industry) to review your LinkedIn profile. I used to recommend doing this with a paper resume, but it's even easier if you have a friend in the industry. Just ask them to review your profile to see if you've missed any important keywords, etc. – Diane K. Danielson, DowntownWomensClub.com

Be a resource. Don't just take the updates. Share resources (articles, websites, book reviews, etc.) to show that you not only have expertise but also generously share your skills/knowledge. – Drew McLellan, The McLellan Group

Initiate conversations. Ask for comments on your timeline and start a dialogue with your Facebook friends. This will encourage your friends to share and link to your content, increasing your reach. Join or create relevant groups and fan pages and actively participate. Blindly posting your ads on the website will simply be considered spam, so two-way communication is crucial. – David Mathison, BetheMedia.com

Create a Facebook fan page. This page is separate from your personal profile and should include a clear, appealing photo (dress modestly), basic personal information such as your mailing address, a valid work email address, etc., and at least three notes written by you.

The first note describes your academic and professional achievements. Consider this as a supplement to your resume. The second note describes the type of company you would like to work for. Here, describe in detail your "perfect" company and your ideal working conditions. Finally, the third note is your personal recommendation. Hypothetically describe a problem a company faces and how you would solve it. – Charlene Nora, WorldUnboundNow.com

Leveraging Facebook for personal branding demands a disciplined, strategic approach that treats the platform as a professional networking and content resource, not merely a social one. The goal is to establish a cumulative, expert presence through intentional content sharing, active engagement, and complete profile optimization. This self-managed branding effort mirrors the formalized systems within modern workplaces. Just as IceHrm provides essential tools for Employee Profile Management and Skill Tracking, you must rigorously manage your own digital profile. By consistently and professionally showcasing your expertise (even by creating a dedicated Fan Page supplement), you ensure your personal brand is always aligned with your career goals, allowing you to seamlessly connect with potential employers, partners, and the opportunities they present.