Brands are not just for mega-corporations anymore. Today, just about every professional – regardless of whether they are currently working in their career or not – has a personal brand. And more and more people – including nurses – are turning to the internet to build their brands. While you may think of logos and catchphrases when you think of “branding,” building your brand online simply refers to the practice of building a professional online presence using social media, a blog, etc.
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Whether you are a seasoned nurse or a nursing student, building an online brand for yourself allows you to become a growing community of healthcare professionals with strong online presences. And, as part of this community, you can use your brand to find jobs and advance your career.
Regardless of where you are in your career, growing your personal brand online enhances your credibility and provides nurses with several other benefits. Whether you are sharing content relating to the latest updates in the medical field or focusing on something more fun, like discussing your favorite women’s scrubs bottoms, there are tons of ways to use social media to grow your personal brand and build an audience.
Start a Blog and Share Posts on Social Media
Starting a nursing blog and posting on it regularly is one of the best ways to build an audience as a nursing professional. And when you share your latest posts via your social media profile(s), you can extend your reach and build a stronger online presence.
Think of your nursing blog as a professional newsletter that demonstrates your personal knowledge and showcases your achievements. While you shouldn’t post direct medical advice, you can use your blog to share general tips, information regarding current health situations, etc. Remember to always be careful not to violate patient confidentiality rights, though. Check out A Nurse’s Guide to the Use of Social Media to learn more about protecting patient privacy – and your job – when posting online.
Promote Your Brand on Twitter
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Twitter is a great place for promoting your nursing brand. In addition to sharing links to your longer blog posts, this platform is an excellent place to post short messages and pass along important information from other websites. You can use them to share inspirational quotes, too.
When it comes to using these platforms to their full advantage, remember that it’s not all about creating and sharing content on your profile. Building a solid brand requires engaging in conversations and interacting with other peoples’ posts, too. Answering questions and making comments are great ways to build your following and form a positive online reputation.
Go Live
Social media platforms that allow you to share live videos – including Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok – are great places for interacting with your audience in real-time. It can be a bit intimidating, but going live is one of the best ways to build a strong personal brand. You can go live for a question-and-answer session, to share an update about a current health topic, or even just talk a bit about yourself and your values and passion as a nurse. Once you get over the jitters, sharing live videos is an awesome way to grow your personal brand as a nurse in the modern world.
Build a Solid LinkedIn Profile
LinkedIn is just as much of a social media platform as Facebook and Twitter, even though it is often thought of as more of an online resume. And if you are not using it to build your brand, you are missing out. Every nurse should have a LinkedIn profile, and it should be loaded with up-to-date information about you and your credentials.
A strong LinkedIn profile includes a high-quality headshot, your credentials, a summary of what you do, your experience, recommendations, and more. Take the time to build a well-thought-out, professional-looking profile. LinkedIn is a network for professionals and should be treated as such.
Like other social media platforms, using LinkedIn to its full potential requires interacting with other people. Share relevant information, and respond to the people who comment on it. Post replies on other peoples’ content, too. Join relevant groups and build relationships. These are all great ways to leverage the power of this platform to build your personal brand as a nurse.
Share Photos or Videos
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While you may prefer sharing text-based posts, it’s important to note that visual posts – photos and videos – tend to perform better. The human brain is wired to process visual information more efficiently and, with most people saying they are visual learners, it just makes sense to share photos and videos instead of exclusively writing posts for your audience to read.
As a nurse, there are lots of ways to add visuals to your posts on social media. If you’ve already written up a post that is jam-packed with information, consider adding a relevant and eye-catching photo. You can also create infographics that present info in appealing ways or create videos to explain complex subjects.
Even on platforms like TikTok – where videos can only be up to 60 seconds in length – you can share brief educational videos that showcase your expertise and personality as a nurse. With more and more healthcare professionals turning to TikTok to engage online, it could be a good way to grow your social media brand.
Instagram is a great place for sharing photos, too. You can show off pictures of your favorite scrub tops and jogger scrub pants as you head off to work, create inspirational quote images … the options are limitless. It takes some creativity, but once you have figured out what type of content your followers engage with, pictures and videos are great tools for growing your personal brand.
The Bottom Line
Building a personal brand is important for all nurses. No matter where you are in your career, having a solid brand can help you advance and meet your goals. It also helps you build a good online reputation. Using social media is an excellent way to grow your brand. Just remember to be mindful of the pitfalls and avoid sharing anything that violates patient privacy or could be perceived negatively.
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