ONLINE PERSONAL BRAND

A website developer offers a fresh perspective on controlling one’s online image.

In this timely book, Frischmann (A Skills-Based Approach to Developing a Career, 2013) points out that “you already have an online personal brand, whether or not you take control of it.” He recommends making one’s own website the core of this brand, but he goes beyond this commonly accepted, basic notion; he also suggests a comprehensive approach to creating a skill set, an aura and an identity. The book describes each of these three elements in considerable detail and demonstrates how they interrelate. His discussion of “aura” is particularly interesting, as it addresses specifically “how others perceive you after they review content about you online.” Frischmann talks at length about the importance of managing one’s identity across the entire Internet, as well. His coverage of social media networks is fairly standard fare, but he offers some excellent advice about making a good “online first impression,” which, he writes, “is the intersection of an aura and identity.” He also gives appropriate attention to the “dubious delineation” between one’s personal and professional online presences. One of the more valuable chapters offers a comprehensive basic framework of 12 specific, recommended steps to build a brand. A chapter targeting millennials—people born between the early 1980s and the early 2000s—is also highly useful, as the author’s own survey indicates that 71 percent of millennials are “not sure having a personal website is worth the expense.” Also intriguing is the author’s commentary on how one’s branding changes in relation to one’s career trajectory. Throughout, the author is careful to acknowledge and reference the work of others whose ideas influenced his own. Although the book can be somewhat repetitive at times, it boasts insightful observations, complemented by instructive charts and illustrations.

A thoughtful addition to branding literature.