When was the last time you saw someone get properly excited about a corporate blog post? Never, that’s when. Yet here we are in 2025, with companies still churning out bland, personality-free content on LinkedIn and their websites like personality is something to be afraid of.
Look at your LinkedIn feed right now. I bet it’s full of corporate-speak posts that could have been written by literally any business. “We’re delighted to announce…” “We’re passionate about solutions…” Fascinating stuff that absolutely nobody is reading.
The thing is, half of all searches these days might be for branded terms, but that doesn’t mean people are looking for faceless corporations. They’re looking for experts. Real people with real experience who can prove they know what they’re talking about. And where do they find these experts? In authentic blog posts, engaging LinkedIn content, and genuine social media conversations.
And let’s not forget, search engines are getting pickier about who they trust, prioritising content from authorities in each field. Brilliant news if you’ve built genuine expertise. Not so brilliant if you’re [Generic Business Services Ltd] trying to stand out in a sea of identical corporate websites.
Why Your Business Name Isn’t Enough Anymore
Let’s be brutally honest – nobody trusts faceless corporations anymore. They trust experts. Real people with real experience who can prove they know what they’re talking about. Think about it – when you’re looking for software development advice, are you more likely to trust “Tech Solutions Inc” or that developer who regularly shares insights about solving the exact problems you’re facing?
Different Voices for Different Choices
Every B2B service provider needs to approach personal branding differently, because – and I know you know this, but it bears repeating – different audiences need different things.
Software developers, I’m looking at you first. Stop hiding behind technical jargon like it’s a shield against human interaction. Your clients don’t need to see every line of code you’ve ever written – they need to understand how you solve problems. Share those “aha!” moments when you cracked a particularly tricky challenge. That’s what builds trust.
Copywriters, you’re next. The irony of copywriters writing bland, corporate-speak posts about their services isn’t lost on anyone. Your personal brand should showcase your writing skills, not sound like you’ve swallowed a LinkedIn influencer’s entire content calendar. Show your personality in your writing – that’s literally what clients are going to pay you for.
Management consultants, for heaven’s sake, stop sounding like you’ve memorised every business book from the past decade. Your personal brand needs to demonstrate practical experience, not theoretical knowledge. Share real stories about business transformations you’ve led. Just please stop using “synergy” in every other sentence.
Building Your Brand House
Think of personal brand authority like building a house. Your expertise is the foundation – without it, everything else falls apart faster than a cheap flat-pack wardrobe. Your unique voice and perspective are the walls – they give your brand structure and make it distinctly yours. Your consistent presence across platforms is the roof – protecting and maintaining everything you’ve built.
Measuring What Matters
Here’s where most people go wrong – they obsess over vanity metrics instead of tracking what actually matters. Yes, LinkedIn engagement is nice, but are you tracking your branded search volume? Use Google Search Console to monitor how often people search for your name plus your expertise. That’s how you know your personal brand is actually growing.
Set up tracking for:
Direct Brand Searches
Watch for searches of your name combined with your expertise. “Jane Smith software development” means more than a thousand likes on a humble-brag post.
Content Performance
Monitor how content under your name performs compared to your corporate brand. You might be surprised at the difference.
Qualified Lead Sources
Track where your leads are coming from. If they’re mentioning your content or saying “I read your article about…”, your personal brand is doing its job.
The Corporate Balance
You might be thinking: “But what about my corporate brand?” Here’s the thing – they work together. Your personal brand builds trust, while your corporate brand provides structure. Think of it like this: your personal brand opens the door, your corporate brand closes the deal.
When to use your personal brand:
Thought Leadership Content
Share insights, experiences, and opinions under your own name. People connect with people, not logos.
Problem-Solving Content
Show how you tackle challenges in your field. Make it personal, make it real.
Industry Commentary
Share your unique perspective on industry changes. Just try to avoid sounding like every other “thought leader” predicting the end of everything every other week.
Stop Trying to Sound Like Everyone Else
Your LinkedIn bio says “Experienced Professional” – brilliant, so does everyone else’s. Your website talks about “innovative solutions” – not exactly ground-breaking is it? Start doing what really works – being yourself, but professional.
Share your actual experiences. Tell real stories about problems you’ve solved. Stop trying to sound like what you think a business person should sound like, and start showing your expertise through genuine insights.
A Personal Brand Isn’t Optional
Building personal brand authority isn’t optional anymore. Whether you’re a software developer, copywriter, or management consultant, your personal brand is often the first thing potential clients will trust. So stop hiding behind your corporate logo and start showing the expertise that actually wins clients.
Remember: Authority starts with a name, not a logo. Build your personal brand first, and watch your corporate brand grow alongside it.
Just please, for the love of all things that are holy, stop using “thought leader” in your bio. Show your expertise instead of claiming it.
Need help with being yourself on LinkedIn? I might be able to help: LinkedIn content and copywriting.
