“Personal branding” is a buzz phrase I hear almost daily. We all know it’s important to have one, especially in a world where jobs can be hard to come by. For those of us who have jobs, building a personal brand is still important — particularly for those of us in an agency environment. After all, I’ve gotten new client referrals based on my own personal brand.

Not only does it help you, but it also helps the company you work for — But how do you build your personal brand?

Here are my top 6 tips for building a personal brand and putting yourself in the social media spotlight:

1. Figure out what you’re trying to accomplish. What’s your mission? When building your personal brand and your social network, you need to have a goal in mind. What do you want to accomplish? Are you hoping to champion a cause? Find a job? Become a thought-leader in your field? Make friends in your community? Your goals can be large or small – it’s just best to really know what they are. So if you aren’t sure, it might be smart to sit down and outline them.

2. Keep all the elements consistent. The internet is a cluttered place, so it’s important to keep your online identity consistent. Register the same user name on all networks you use and own your own domain! If someone loves you on Twitter, make sure you make it easy for them to find you everywhere else too! Once you find your tone, goals, etc. — keep them consistent as well! And if you have the extra cash, consider grabbing your own logo and keep all design elements consistent. Why not treat your personal brand just like a company brand?

3. Be the same online as you are off. Once you decide who you’re going to be online – make sure that’s consistent with who you are in real life! Transparency is equal to trust, and trust is the key to being successful. Think about it: if you’re awesome online and terrible in real life, who really wants to be your friend? Just be who you are – online and off. And when you’re beginning to build your personal brand, keep that in mind.

4. Love what you do. If you’re trying to become “internet famous” then you’re in it for the wrong reasons. Work to become an influencer because you love to enrich lives, teach and empower others, to champion a cause, etc…NOT to get rich. Plus, what’s the point of wasting time doing something you hate? And remember what I said about transparency! It all goes hand-in-hand!

5. Give, give and give some more. IMO, this is the most important tip rule for building your following on social networks! If you’re trying to build your network, give to your followers more than you are looking to receive back. Everyone wants to know “what’s in it for me?” If the answer is “nothing,” then why would they want to follow you? You will be successful in your personal brand by continuing to create value for others. So share interesting links, promote other in your network and continue to give as much as you can!

6. Build and foster relationships. Social networking is all about relationships. I mean, it says it in the name, right? Build a community around you by empowering others and giving as much as you can. Connect to people — in your industry and outside of it. Make friends and stay in touch! And when you can, try to attend tweetups, Social Media Club meetings, conferences, etc. to stay connected and meet some of your social media friends in real life!

Do you have some tips of your own to add? Let’s discuss in the comments section!