Paige Arnof-Fenn | Source | Founder & CEO at Mavens & Moguls

If we learned anything during Covid it is that your online presence is only growing in importance and I believe everyone is a brand today not just Beyonce, Lebron and Taylor Swift. You do not exist today if you cannot be found online. Being invisible online is a terrible strategy and if you do not brand yourself then others will brand you instead. Having a brand is what helps you stand out from all the noise and competition. Without a brand you are a commodity and therefore compete on price. You cannot be everywhere all the time so choose high impact activities that work for you and play to your strengths. The key is just to pick your platform, it does not matter which ones you choose just pick one or 2 that are authentic to you. It should look and sound like you and the brand you have built. Whether yours is polished or more informal, chatty or academic, humorous or snarky, it is a way for your personality to come through. I think thought leaders need to be on LinkedIn so that they can be found easily. It adds credibility and transparency when you know the people you are meeting or working with know people in common. LinkedIn has become more than an online resume or rolodex, it is the foundation for building trusted relationships in the digital economy.