Reflective Journal: Action Plan for Personal Online Branding

This reflective journal examines the importance of personal online branding for career advancement. It reflects on the author's current online presence across platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook, highlighting strengths and weaknesses. Key areas for improvement include enhancing social media engagement in professional circles, showcasing creativity, and increasing social media reach. The journal includes a SMART action plan with specific objectives to improve creativity through video content, increase visibility on professional social media, and build a stronger professional network on LinkedIn. The ultimate goal is to cultivate a professional and dedicated online brand image that supports career growth. Desklib provides access to similar solved assignments and resources for students.

Reflective Journal

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
Part A...............................................................................................................................................1
Reflection on personal Online branding ....................................................................................1
Part B...............................................................................................................................................2
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
Online branding is defined as the practice of using World Wide web and Social Media
channels for promoting and positioning personal brand or professional company (Deckers and
Lacy, 2017). This is reflective report which looks at personal online brand and described key
ideas, thoughts and feelings related to the personal online brand. In addition to this preferred
changes which need to be made in personal online branding are also included in the first part of
the report. In the second part of the report an action plan is developed in order to further build
personal online brand.
MAIN BODY
Part A
Reflection on personal Online branding
I have built my personal online branding by using various social media channels such as
LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook. I believe that developing an attractive online branding
essential for gaining the attention of employers and making further career progress. In the current
digital age employers also use online branding of an individual as a consideration in evaluating
their suitability for the company. I have developed my online branding to depict my
professionalism and hard-working nature. I have created a LinkedIn account which has all the
updated information regarding my credentials. This has helped me effectively interact with
formal recruiters. I also use LinkedIn to put forward my views on current events and various
advancements in my profession so that the employers gain a perception that I have high
commercial acumen. In addition to this my social media presence is also curated to reflect my
professional aspirations and dedication to work and supporting my family. According to me this
type of online branding will work in my favour as most employers seek to recruit a hard-working
and stable employee in their organization. Employers use social media platform to connect with
potential employees (Finneman Thomas and Jenkins, 2019). I believe that one of the main areas
in my online branding which requires immediate improvement is related to my social media
content presence in various pages related to professional field. I am not highly active on social
media circles related to my profession outside of LinkedIn which can showcase that I am not
interested in improving my knowledge about my profession. In addition to this another feature of
my online branding which can help me succeed in my professional career is the lack of creative
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contest on my social media pages. I a not highly creative or expression on my social media sites
which will make affect my employability for job roles which require innovative thinking. I
believe that my online branding needs to showcase my creative nature so that employers and
firms are aware that I can provide the company innovative solutions. In addition to this my low
social media reach also affects my personal branding. In the current digital age high social media
reach can help me professionally in many ways. This is because even micro social media reach
can help improve my networking and promote my brand in the right circles. One of the founding
platforms which supports online branding is LinkedIn (Kelly, 2017. It is also one of the main
areas of my online rand which need to be improved for my career development. I need to use
various tools on Linked In to ensure effective personal marketing.
Part B
SMART Action Plan
Objective Specific Measurable Attainable Relevant Timely
To improve
creativity on
social media
This is
specific
objective as it
centres around
creating a
creative brand
image on
social media
channels in
order to
communicate
creative skills.
This objective
can be
measured by
the amount of
likes and
shares my
personal
creative
content gains
on various
social media
accounts.
This objective can
be attained by
using various social
media tools such as
creating video
content with
personal views to
connect
emotionally with
individual or
generate high
quality content
using video editing
software.
This is a
relevant
objective as it
will help
develop an
innovative
and creative
online brand
which will
facilitate
career
development.
2 months
To increase
visibility on
professional
This is a
particular
objective as it
The viability
of my social
media pages
This objective can
be attained by
increasing presence
This is a
relevant
objective as it
3 months
2

circles on
social media
involves
increasing
interaction
with
profession
groups on
social media
platforms.
on
professional
accounts will
be the
measurement
criteria for this
objective.
on various
professional circles
and posting
educational
content.
involves
increasing
presence in
professional
circles on
social media
platform
which will
help
demonstrate a
professional
and dedicated
online brand
image.
To increase
social media
reach
This objective
is specific in
nature as it
centres around
increasing
social media
reach.
The
measurement
criteria for this
online
branding
objective is
the views and
shares gained
on individual
social media
post.
This objective can
be attained by
maintaining
balance between
personal and
professional
content. In addition
tot his I will also be
positing different
type of content
targeting different
demographic to
increase social
media reach.
Increase in
social media
visibility will
not only help
me connect
with
employers
and firms
abut will also
showcase my
ability to
influence and
persuade
people. These
skills will
have positive
impact on my
4 months
3

online
branding.
To build
professional
network on
LinkedIn
This objective
focuses on
creating
professional
network in
LinkedIn and
is highly
particular.
The
measurement
criteria for this
objective is by
determining
improvements
in strong
relationships
created on
LinkedIn
This objective can
be attained by
creating a
compelling
professional
summary on
LinkedIn and
syncing email
account with
LinkedIn to quickly
connect with
others.
This is
relevant
objective as it
improves
online
branding by
enhancing
LinkedIn
profile.
3 moths
4

CONCLUSION
From the above report it is determined that creation of personal online brand is necessary
as it affects the status of career. It is essential fr individuals to reflect on their online branding as
online branding can help individuals make progress in their professional career. In addition to
this reflecting on personal online brand helps individuals identify areas which need to improved
in order to facilitate career growth. This supports creation of an action plan which can be used to
take immediate strops in order to ensure career progress.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Deckers, E. and Lacy, K., 2017. Branding yourself: How to use social media to invent or
reinvent yourself. Que Publishing.
Finneman, T., Thomas, R. J. and Jenkins, J., 2019. “I Always Watched Eyewitness News Just to
See Your Beautiful Smile”: Ethical Implications of US Women TV Anchors’ Personal
Branding on Social Media. Journal of Media Ethics, 34(3). pp.146-159.
Kelly, S., 2017. Personal branding for entrepreneurial journalists and creative professionals.
Taylor & Francis.
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