Episode 21: Personal Branding vs. Company Branding — Finding the Balance on LinkedIn

Welcome to Episode 21 of “Supercharge Your LinkedIn Profile”! Today, we’re diving into the delicate balance between personal branding and company branding on LinkedIn. Both are crucial for success, but knowing how to align them without overshadowing one can help you build a strong professional presence that benefits both you and your business.

Why Balance Matters

On LinkedIn, you represent not only yourself but also your company. Your personal brand should reflect your unique expertise and personality, while your company branding should showcase the business’s mission and values. When these two elements work together harmoniously, they create a powerful brand presence that resonates with your audience.

The Risks of an Imbalance:

• Too much focus on personal branding: You may come off as self-promotional and risk distancing your professional brand from your company’s identity.
• Too much focus on company branding: You risk losing the authentic, human connection that personal branding offers, making it harder to build relationships and trust.

How to Balance Personal and Company Branding

1. Define Your Personal and Company Brand Identities

• What to Do: Clearly outline the key elements of both your personal and company brands. Define your personal values, expertise, and unique traits alongside your company’s mission, vision, and market position.
• How to Use: Align your messaging in a way that complements both identities. Look for synergies where your personal expertise supports your company’s goals.
• Example: If you are a brand strategist working at a marketing agency, showcase your personal knowledge in branding while also promoting your agency’s unique approach.

2. Craft Your LinkedIn Profile with Both in Mind

• What to Do: Create a LinkedIn profile that reflects both your personal expertise and your company’s value. This includes optimizing your headline, summary, and experience sections to highlight how your role drives company success.
• How to Use: Balance showcasing your achievements with aligning them with company goals and impact.
• Example: In your LinkedIn summary, emphasize your professional journey (personal branding) while connecting it to your role and contribution to your company (company branding).

3. Alternate Personal and Company-Focused Content

• What to Do: When posting on LinkedIn, alternate between content that highlights your personal expertise and posts that focus on company milestones, products, or culture.
• How to Use: This ensures you’re consistently promoting both sides without overloading your audience with just one perspective.
• Example: Share thought leadership content in your industry (personal brand), then post about a new product launch or company achievement (company brand).

4. Collaborate with Your Company’s Marketing Team

• What to Do: Work with your company’s marketing team to align your personal branding strategy with their campaigns. Leverage company content to complement your posts and vice versa.
• How to Use: By aligning with the broader marketing strategy, you maintain consistency while reinforcing both personal and company messages.
• Example: When your company releases a whitepaper, write a LinkedIn post discussing your role in its development, while linking back to the official company post.

5. Be Authentic, Always

• What to Do: Ensure that whether you’re posting personal insights or promoting your company, the content feels genuine and authentic to who you are.
• How to Use: Your audience will connect more with content that resonates on a personal level, even when it includes professional or corporate elements.
• Example: Share behind-the-scenes stories of how you and your team worked on a new project, blending both personal experiences and company branding.

6. Engage with Both Types of Content

• What to Do: Comment, like, and share posts from both your company and your network. Support your company’s posts while also engaging with posts related to your personal brand.
• How to Use: Interacting with both types of content allows you to build relationships and be seen as an advocate for your company and industry.
• Example: After your company posts about an event, engage by adding your personal take on what made the event valuable and meaningful.

Best Practices for Balancing Personal and Company Branding

1. Use Personal Insights to Humanize Company Content

• What to Do: Share personal stories or insights when posting about company achievements. It helps humanize your company brand and makes it relatable.
• Why It Works: People connect with people, not companies. Adding a personal touch to corporate content fosters engagement.
• Example: “Our team just launched our new software update. I’m incredibly proud of the work we’ve done and how this update will solve many pain points for our clients!”

2. Be Consistent Across All Platforms

• What to Do: Ensure your personal brand is aligned with the company’s tone and messaging across LinkedIn and other social media platforms.
• Why It Works: Consistency across platforms solidifies your personal and company brand identities, making them more memorable to your audience.
• Example: Use similar visuals, hashtags, and language when promoting your company on LinkedIn and Instagram.

3. Align Personal and Company Values

• What to Do: Showcase how your personal values align with your company’s mission. Whether it’s innovation, sustainability, or inclusivity, create a connection between what you stand for and what your company represents.
• Why It Works: When personal and company values are aligned, it strengthens your position as an authentic ambassador for the brand.
• Example: “As a passionate advocate for sustainability, I’m proud to be part of a company that prioritizes eco-friendly solutions.”

Illustration:

Think of your LinkedIn presence like a puzzle. Your personal brand and company brand are two essential pieces that need to fit together seamlessly. When combined correctly, they create a complete picture of who you are professionally and what your company stands for.

Why This Approach Works

A balanced approach to personal and company branding allows you to build credibility both as an individual and as a representative of your organization. By alternating between showcasing your unique expertise and highlighting your company’s achievements, you create a dynamic and engaging LinkedIn presence that serves multiple purposes.

Conclusion:

Balancing personal and company branding on LinkedIn requires a thoughtful strategy. By defining both identities clearly, alternating content, and maintaining authenticity, you can effectively promote yourself and your business without diminishing the value of either.

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Special thanks to experts like Gary Vaynerchuk, blends personal branding with his company, VaynerMedia, by promoting both his personal expertise and his agency’s success. Sheryl Sandberg, shares personal leadership insights while consistently promoting her work with Meta (formerly Facebook).

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I’m Ziishan, a passionate Brand Strategist dedicated to helping businesses like yours thrive in the ever-evolving world of digital marketing. With over 8 years of experience in Branding and Market Positioning, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Social Media and Digital Marketing Strategy Development, I specialize in crafting strategies that not only resonate with your target audience but also drive measurable results.

My mission is to turn insights into actionable strategies and to empower you with the tools and knowledge needed to achieve your marketing goals. If you’re ready to elevate your brand and explore new opportunities, Let’s CONNECT and make it happen!

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