Digital DNA - define your personal branding

Human beings, in a biological sense, get their uniqueness defined by their dna. By chromosomes that show the personal uniqueness in tiny details. Now, what does a unique digital dna contain? It’s getting defined when endless pieces of web activity, of engagement, of usage, of content or other defining elements are being generated by a human being 2.0. 

Using web 2.0 platforms we all get the urge to self-expression which results in defining our digital dna by adding personal details, details, details. People spend endless hours on browsing the web while creating and leveraging their digital personality. Just like global companies invest a fortune in brand building every year in the pursuit of sustaining their powerful brands. Some people know about the value and the risk of personal online branding, some don’t. Online branding, some call it online reputation, is influenced by loads of factors: publishing, commenting, sharing, micro-blogging, reviewing, networking, communitying or just engaging in your personal interests on relevant sites. All part of a process that define the personal digital dna. 

Creating a digital dna blueprint is not easy. This is just a blueprint of the most influential technologies, platforms, communities and networks - probably one of the most powerful blueprints for a digital dna on todays web - in terms of audience reach,variety of interest and quality of network options. This picture of a digital dna is an idea on what are the most leveraging web chromosomes that define your unique personality. Imagine how influential your digital dna might be when elaborated precisely according to this blueprint.

  

What purpose do these web chromosomes serve? They enable, define, aggregate, control and brand your web ID. So, the personal digital dna is the system that creates a unique personal branding by using web standards, technologies, social networks, communities and special interest sites.

In our world of social media and social networking we are leaving more and more information on the web, pushing personal data through portals of companies, and creating individual profiles which are all investments in our personal brand building. All pieces of information that lead to a UNIQUE digital dna that in the future will be your online CV, your web ID and your unique selling point (USP) for your career.

Last week there was a post on the new German IBM Blog called ‘Your Digital Shadow’. An idea which actually was created by Stephen Ashley who writes on his blog…

“Digital Shadow” is, all the digital information generated about the average person on a daily basis – which now surpasses the amount of digital information individuals actually create themselves.

Now, digital shadow is a nice metaphor for the average internet user. The digital dna is the sun that creates this shadow. And we want to spot on the modern brand building individual. The career-orientated, ambitious and ‘web social’ ones who actively push their personality via the digital way …and maybe in some years these people have the ability to turn around company brands with their unique online brand - better than any magazine, newspaper or news site does today.

Personal branding in our modern web world becomes more, more and more important for our successful individuality for obvious reasons. The web globalizes as well as forces the ambitious human being 2.0 to build a strong, recognizable personal brand on the web. This personal brand can catalyze your career in a way no other offline possibility does (i.e. speaker opportunity, client meetings, fair visits, etc.). It does not replace those options, but it adds to the extent of a highly-rated online (and offline!) reputation, resulting in a strong personality ratio.

We should all be aware which platforms we use, which pay in and which don’t, and which are of lasting value for brand building. BRAND YOUr personal digital dna.

Spot On!
Pushing personal branding via this digital dna idea seems to me an intelligent option as it is resulting in a great audience reach you might never achieve in the offline world. Managers you might never become acquainted with might ’stumble upon’ your digital dna. And you might find peers in mind and friends in visions. It can expand your personality globally, spread your thoughts and ideas faster and get more recognized in times where social bookmarking, micro-blogging and networking become the gatekeeper of your personality brand creation. Maybe you think this is quite philosophical, maybe visionary, maybe too abstract. Some see a world where online personalities create, control and change company brands - or become social vips for brands. Think about what you have done for yourself to create a strong branded digital dna around your personality. Is it a unique footprint on the web? Can you see your digital dna clearly in front of you on the screen? As you can see from the micro-buttons below on the blog, I am still working on it.

Looking forward to hear about your views on digital dna…