Developing your personal brand is key to monetizing your passion online. The thing that most people don’t realize is that in today’s world your business and your personal brand should be one and the same, whether you’re selling organic fish food or financial advice or just your opinion.

Consumers want you to tell them the truth. Sure, they want quality and service and value and entertainment, but above all, they want to know that the person they’re dealing with is being honest. Embrace your DNA, be yourself, put out awesome content, and people’s interest in what you have to say will come.

Developing your personal brand is the same thing as living and breathing your résumé every second that you’re working.

To monetize your personal brand into a business using social marketing networks, two pillars should be in place: product and content. Read books, trade journals, websites, blogs, attend classes, lectures, seminars, etc. choose the right way to get your message out there: video, radio, written, or all of the above.

Your content permanently resides on your blog, and you use these platforms to distribute your brand and bring eyes back home (the blog).