02 March 2017

My new personal website journey


It is said that, ‘571 websites are created within a minute online, every day’.

With Pathway and other businesses, we have built scores of websites but usually this involves a team of people including our digital and marketing team. However recently I have launched my personal site and experienced a more hands on experience and I would like to take this opportunity to share my thoughts with you. The website is now live at: www.safaraz.co.uk

Firstly, It’s a good idea regardless of your position and present knowledge to learn about the digital scene, changes and updates that are taking place in this market place so that you can understand, challenge and make better sites, posts and of course videos.

Here are the top 3 things I think we should all keep in mind:


STOCK V REAL: First of all, YES- Images are paramount to every website. But there seems to be an ongoing debate about whether we should be using stock images, or not.

For me, authenticity is key. And images that are unique to you and your business, are far more likely to connect with online consumers. By using original photographs on your website, you’re ‘humanising’ your brand, and portraying it in the best light.
Think about it, a snapshot of your HAPPY team hard at work, is more appealing than that photograph of an (unknown) model, who has been heavily enhanced on Photoshop.
You’ll find that I’ve shared a great deal of images on my new website- all of them are of myself, my friends, and my associates. All of them demonstrate who I really am.
I’d recommend that you avoid a search on stock photo sites and instead, ask your team mates if they’re up for a photo shoot, also link your images to your Instagram account too, so now whenever I upload to Instagram, it automatically displays on my website as well.


VIDEO CONTENT: If you’ve been in business for long, you will have definitely heard the phrase, ‘content is king’. Here’s the other thing: Visual marketing is SO IMPORTANT. In fact, it’s video marketing that’ll be the real hero of your website.
Videos have become a staple in our everyday lives and are a must now, if there is no video then the site is automatically considered “dated”

I have tried to do a lot more with videos recently with work on my own youtube page and with my website I’ve dedicated a separate section for videos of myself and my recent projects- please feel free to take a look. We all know that the attention span of online customers is short- and they don’t want to waste time by reading too much text and in some cased reading at all. However much more importantly than that video content on your website will develop the trust between your business and potential customers.


MOBILE & SPEED FRIENDLY: Half of all internet visits are done through a mobile device and this figure is rapidly.
In a digitally advanced world, it is important for us to ‘keep up with the times’ and ensure that our websites are mobile friendly and we navigate easily as well bearing in mind the long the site takes to load – speed is really king now!
So, there’s my tuppence worth, let me know once you’ve take taken a look and at www.safaraz.co.uk.

Thank you once again for your time.

Regards

Safaraz Ali (Saf)
p.s above everything else - ensure you come across as relatable (or some may say authentic) on your site and posts. The content on my website is frankly from the heart, so I’d love to hear your valued feedback.




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01 March 2017

Employee Personal Brand vs Business Brand: Can They Work Hand in Hand?


Most businesses are aware of the considerable benefits of having employees with strong personal brands; and this is now often encouraged.

As well as the practical benefits of having a strong business brand (such as brand recognition), employing individuals with established personal brands gives organisations that certain ‘human touch’. This is vital for building trust between businesses and consumers.

We are normally drawn towards people with compelling personalities, and those we can build a rapport with. For this reason, most businesses are keen to invest further in employees with a good online presence and following. They are interested in the development of their staff, and would rather work towards them becoming ‘thought leaders and influencers’ in the market place.

At times, these individuals can attract the attention of other customers, new recruits and even competitors, because they are successfully sharing knowledge and expertise through their own platforms. The aim for business owners/ the executive board in this case, is to harness the power of these unique brands, and turn them into advocates of their respective companies.


From a business perspective, however; there comes a point where an individual’s brand can become less of an advantage and more of a threat to the business. This can be due to several reasons, including:

• The individual’s brand could overshadow the business brand. The employee may be perceived as a ‘rock star’, whilst the business remains in the shadow and is eventually forgotten.
• Employees could be abusing the resources and the platform given to them by their employer. This may be for their own personal advantage of self- promotion, rather than in the interest of the business.
• The possibility of personal-branded employees being head-hunted by competitors. The employee may also feel that they have outgrown the role and the business, and decide to move on.


Any form of external attention sought can create internal pressure and is likely to create conflict between the employee and the business. It may be a matter of ‘asserting dominance’, for example, the employer might be trying to weaken the presence of the personal brand, or wanting to control how the employees present themselves online. This could result in the employee feeling resentful towards the business and in turn, bad mouthing the employer to key stakeholders and other associates.

This is usually a far worse outcome than the risks initially predicted by the employer. So, how can business owners negotiate this situation and still harvest the benefits of an individual’s personal brand?

The simple truth is that business owners are better off encouraging a persona brand, as opposed to actively suppressing it. In a world where our social media presence can make or break a career, employees will be trying to develop their unique identities regardless. And when they have reached ‘success’, you will want them on your side.

The key is to take a relaxed approach, and sometimes this is easier said than done. It all boils down to the relationship, and the stronger the bond between you and your employee, the better- for both parties.

Give time, and genuine respect to your employees, and turn them into even greater brand ambassadors, who truly respect the business and would like to see it (and ultimately, themselves) succeed. As the saying goes, “a customer cannot truly love a business until its employees do”. So, it is worth valuing this relationship, meaning respecting the fact that their personal brand is important to them. Whilst being associated with this person, as their reputation grows, so will yours.

What do you think? Can employee’s personal brands and company brands work together for the greater good? Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comment section below.

Thank you once again for your time,

Saf
Safaraz Ali

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Location: Birmingham, UK London, UK
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