Our social interactions, virtual connections, and values are changing faster than most of us can comprehend. In a digital society, where information over-load is common and online relationships are more easily made, branding oneself seems to be more important than ever.

Regardless of age, regardless of position, regardless of the business we happen to be in, all of us need to understand the importance of branding. We are CEOs of our own companies: Me Inc. To be in business today, our most important job is to be head marketer for the brand called You.

Tom Peters, Fast Company

Stated simply, we each have a personal brand.  It’s developed by being authentic and by allowing others to see who we really are. With all the technology and “how to” information available on the web, developing a personal brand is easier than ever. Whether we start an online profile, post a status update, or upload an image on Flickr, we are making a statement with each broadcast to the world. If leveraged properly, a personal brand can lead to internet fame and even parlayed into commercial success. A brief visit to Twitterholic or Twittown, and it’s easy to see examples of why some are being referred to as microcelebrities.  According to Clive Thompson from Wired Magazine, “microcelebrities are individuals who are extremely well known not to millions but to a small group.”  This definition suggests that anyone with a blog, a Facebook page, a Twitter account, or a similar online presence can achieve “micro” celebrity status.

Whether it’s fame, fortune, or simply peace of mind that we seek, it is important to recognize that a personal brand plays a critical role in our digital lives. It allows us to differentiate our skills, elevate our visibility, marketability, and ultimately attracts more interesting opportunities.

Interested in building a personal brand?  Click here for 10 tips on how to get started.

Per Jeremiah:

“In the age of meme trackers, aggregators, and news.google.com I hear from more people that this hand created editorial list I do each week is helpful. With so much content being created now, it just goes to show that editing (by humans) is more important than ever. One key for this digest to be successful is to link to anything that I think is important, regardless of source, and even competitive research –expect more of that as I go forward.”

Weekly Digest of the Social Networking Space: Oct 15, 2008.