Reach Customers Online

Developing a Personal Brand Online, an Interview with Jeremiah Owyang

“Twitter is part of my overall online personal brand, but like one of the sections of a great orchestra, it’s only one of the parts. It serves a specific, yet important role. I use all the tools and when done in a collective way, they achieve more than they would individually. While blogs are great for long-form content and are easily found by search engines, Twitter is a more immediate and realtime communications tool. Facebook is great for allowing my community to self-support each other and videos are great for sharing concepts and ideas. The one thing that makes Twitter unique, is that while it’s real-time, the interaction is far faster than any of the other tools.”

From Global Neighbourhoods. This is a fascinating interview with Jeremiah Owyang, currently at social media analyst at Forrester. For one, Owyang has built his job and online following in three short years, starting as a minion at Hitachi, developing small social media projects based on clear business goals, projects that were shut down when he left.

Also, Owyang points out that his online brand follows him from job to job; it is an asset his current and future employers get by hiring him. This is an excellent way to describe one mostly hidden aspect of social media: for some people, developing an online brand is as important as the more obvious professional skills they have, for example, as a programmer or marketer.

I also like very much his comment that his real goal is to help businesses connect with their customers online, something I strive for professionally and through this blog. As a guy with six brothers and sisters, from the beginning my life has been about connecting with people.

Related Stories

What’s Your Social Media Routine?

Ask Jeremiah: The Comprehensive FAQ Guide to Twitter

How to Track and Quantify Your Social Media Efforts

How to Develop a Social Media Plan for Your Business

The Not-So-Hidden Politics of Class Online

San Fran Olympic Torch Relay is a Social Media Extravaganza!

B2B Buyers Have Very High Social Media Participation

Internet Has Its Own Brand of War Censorship