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When you do executive personal branding, forget about LinkedIn—it is just a distribution and networking channel. The only important thing is how your industry communicates.
Studies show there is no single rule for how executives should build their personal brands. It always depends on context—respectively on the industry. This fundamental insight, validated across multiple academic disciplines and real-world applications, challenges the oversimplified advice that dominates social media feeds and generic branding consultants.
A foundational systematic review analyzed over 100 scholarly papers to establish that personal branding is fundamentally a heterogeneous, context-dependent construct. The researchers identified that effectiveness depends critically on professional and industry context, with certain industries being highly conducive to personal branding (sports, journalism, entrepreneurship), while others may be restrictive or even precluding of such activities (defense, police, certain corporate roles).
The study revealed that industries with higher degrees of transparency are more conducive to individual personal branding. At the organizational level, companies adopting enterprise models tend to be more lenient or supportive of personal branding activities. The research conclusively demonstrated that role and industry-related drivers significantly shape how, why, and when individuals engage in personal branding.
Just think about traditional industries: banking, finance, corporate law, or notary publics. In these circles, being too "popular" on LinkedIn can even work against you.
These industries don't engage much on social media. But they are present and communicating in their own way, so you might never get a like, but be sure that in your next meeting they will know all about the things you are publishing.
Traditional Industries and the Quiet Communication Code
Just think about traditional industries: banking, finance, corporate law, or notary publics. In these circles, being too "popular" on LinkedIn can even work against you. These industries don't engage much on social media. But they are present and communicating in their own way, so you might never get a like, but be sure that in your next meeting they will know all about the things you are publishing.
Research concludes that industries with higher degrees of transparency, such as sports or journalism, are more conducive to individual personal branding. Conversely, it is logical to assume that some industries or roles, such as defense or police agents, may be less conducive to personal branding or even precluding of such activities. Traditional financial sectors operate under conservative strategies that emphasize long-term stability, regulatory compliance, and prudent risk management rather than public visibility.
They consume more "boring" kinds of content: like industry articles, panel discussions, and expert debates. In conservative professional environments, the emphasis is on credibility, discretion, and established expertise rather than visibility and engagement metrics. Personal branding in these sectors requires a fundamentally different approach: one that prioritizes substance, authenticity, and alignment with industry norms. The reputation in these fields is built through years of consistent professional behavior and recognized expertise, not through social media popularity.
Other industries are different. They are more open, more conversational, and here communication has to be completely different. Industries with higher transparency:sports, journalism, technology startups, creative fields,not only permit but often require active social media engagement and personal brand visibility.
Studies show that freelance journalists are more likely to engage in self-promotion and share personal information than employed journalists, demonstrating differences in personal branding behaviors even within a specific professional area. At the company level, organizations adopting an enterprise model may be more lenient or even supportive of personal branding.
In these modern, transparent industries, personal branding has become a prominent feature of the labor market, whether in face-to-face settings or in online platforms. The key elements that contribute to effective personal branding in these contexts include authenticity, consistency, and strong digital presence . These fields reward regular engagement, storytelling, and personal insight sharing:approaches that would be viewed as inappropriate or unprofessional in traditional sectors.
That's why the worst advice you can get about personal branding is "just start" or "post more." This has to be built around the communication patterns of your industry. This oversimplified guidance ignores the fundamental context-dependency of personal branding effectiveness that research has consistently demonstrated .
Generic advice fails because it doesn't account for the specific communication patterns, cultural norms, professional expectations, and stakeholder relationships that define success in different industries. Personal branding strategies that generate engagement in technology or marketing circles may appear unprofessional or attention-seeking in finance or law. The research shows that role and industry-related drivers significantly shape how, why, and when individuals engage in personal branding activities.
Building an effective personal brand requires strategic planning, authenticity, and consistent messaging across various online and offline channels that align with industry expectations. Personal branding is not merely about self-promotion; it is about establishing a distinct identity, values, and a reputation that aligns with an individual's professional context. Without understanding your industry's specific communication code, you risk damaging the very reputation you're trying to build.
Because if you get it wrong, and this is the tricky thing about personal branding, you only have one. Companies come and go, but your personal brand follows you forever. So keep that in mind.
Personal brand building takes continued effort, whereas reputation is simply the result of our actions over a long period of time. Research on personal branding confirms that it leads to greater career satisfaction, fully mediated by perceived employability . However, this positive relationship only holds when the personal branding approach aligns with industry context and professional expectations.
Personal branding is an introspective process by which you define yourself professionally, and it can serve as your pathway to professional success , but only when executed with careful attention to your industry's communication patterns. The permanence of your personal brand means that mistakes cannot be easily undone. Unlike corporate brands that can be rebranded or repositioned with marketing budgets, your personal brand is permanently associated with your name and professional identity. This is why understanding and respecting your industry's specific context isn't optional but it's fundamental to long-term career success.
Sources:
Gorbatov,S., Khapova, S. N., & Lysova, E. I. (2018).
Personal Branding: Interdisciplinary Systematic Review and Research Agenda.
Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 2238.
Gorbatov, S., Khapova, S. N., & Lysova, E. I. (2019).
Get Noticed to Get Ahead: The Impact of Personal Branding on Career Success.
Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 2662.
Scheidt, S. (2021).
Personal Branding of Top Managers: Process Research and Conceptualization.
Doctoral Dissertation, University of Twente.
Philbrick, J. L., & Cleveland, A. D. (2015).
Personal Branding: Building Your Pathway to Professional Success.
Medical Reference Services Quarterly, 34(2), 181–189.
Personal Branding Strategies for Building a Strong Self.
Index Copernicus International Journal Repository.
The Gap Between Reputation and Personal Brand.
Commoncog Research Essay (2021).