Personal branding is a powerful tool for creating a professional identity that reflects your values, skills, experiences, and aspirations. It allows you to tell your story, showcase your strengths, and position yourself as a unique voice in your industry. But what is LGBTQ+ personal branding? For LGBTQ+ professionals, personal branding also gives them a chance to embrace their LGBTQ+ identity, building meaningful connections, and contributing to greater representation in entrepreneurship and the workplace.
This guide provides actionable steps to help you craft a personal brand as an LGBTQ+ professional that aligns with your identity, supports your career goals, and empowers you to succeed professionally in your industry and niche.
Why personal branding matters for LGBTQ+ professionals
Brings more LGBTQ+ representation
When LGBTQ+ professionals build strong, visible brands, they help pave the way for other LGBTQ+ professionals to bring their authentic selves to professional spaces.
Speaking from personal experience, when I graduated from my master’s program in 2020, I yearned for a work environment that made me feel safe and understood. When I started my job hunt on LinkedIn, I felt isolated because of how rampant the hustle culture was on the platform. I felt as though I couldn’t share my genuine feelings about the injustices in the world.
Then I took time to find others like me: LGBTQ+ people and people of color talking about things that mattered, and not only that, how these things affected their work lives. It gave me permission me to do the same.
I’m not talking about creating your own little social justice bubble that rejects any dissenting opinion. My perspective is simply that, if we are to achieve our career goals and ensure our own mental and physical safety, we should surround ourselves with people that make us feel safe online.
Remember: the online world does not equal the real world.
Your online world can be what you make of it. And when LinkedIn is already a place where we can sometimes feel uneasy – the very fact that our presence on there as individual professionals can give us a sense of pressure to always perform as the best candidate ever, but what if that performance requires you to hide key parts of your identity? – we should strive for an empowering environment.
The first step towards that? Find other LGBTQ+ people and people of color who talk about the things that matter to you. And who knows? If you follow in the footsteps of other LGBTQ+ professionals on LinkedIn, your own personal brand as a queer professional can help inspire inclusion and create a more welcoming environment for others like you in your industry.
Opens doors to inclusive opportunities
A strong personal brand helps you connect with value-driven companies, collaborators, partnerships, and clients who respect and celebrate your identity.
A common struggle I hear a lot from LGBTQ+ clients who are looking to improve their LinkedIn profiles is deciding how “out” they should be online. This is an entirely personal decision and depends on your geographic location and niche. It may be a safer option for a transgender paralegal in Tennessee to keep their personal identity as private as possible, for example.
That being said, building a personal brand positions you as someone people would want to work with while building a network with other LGBTQ+ and allied professionals.
How to build a personal brand as a queer professional
Reflect on your unique value as a queer professional
Begin by defining what makes you stand out as a professional. Ask yourself these questions:
- What are my key skills, strengths, and area of expertise?
- How does my identity shape my approach to work?
- What values do I want to highlight in my professional life?
Using these reflections, write a personal mission statement that summarizes your goals and what you stand for. This personal mission statement will serve as a foundation for your personal brand
Optimize your LinkedIn profile
LinkedIn is the go-to place for professional networking and building a personal brand. Here’s how you can best utilize your LinkedIn profile:
- Have a strong, keyword-rich headline: Use clear, keyword-rich language to communicate your expertise and skills. For example: “Content Strategist | Helping Brands with Building Content Strategy & Implementation”
- About section: Write a compelling summary of your career journey, key accomplishments, and your values. End with a call to action, such as inviting people to connect with you or linking to your website.
- Featured section: Showcase your projects that you’re most proud of, articles, and media appearances that highlight your expertise and impact.
Having an optimized LinkedIn profile makes you easier to find, whether by recruiters, collaborators, or potential clients. To learn more about how to optimize your LinkedIn profile, read our previous blog about LinkedIn optimization.
Utilize other social media platforms
As an LGBTQ+ professional, you can expand your digital presence beyond LinkedIn to include platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and Threads. Use these platforms to share different aspects of your personality and expertise. For example:
- Threads: Share industry insights and engage with thought leaders and potential clients.
- Instagram: Highlight behind-the-scenes moments and professional achievements
- TikTok: Post engaging, informative content on topics relevant to your industry or personal brand.
Disclaimer: it’s easy to say “just use all these platforms!” but the reality is, content creation takes time. Yes, putting yourself out there more will get you more visibility, but it shouldn’t be at the cost of your own happiness. The pressure of being everywhere all at once online can cause people real stress.
Give yourself grace, and only use social media platforms you actually feel like you can keep up with. If that means using none of them, so be it.
Build intentional connections as a queer professional
Networking as an LGBTQ+ professional is essential when it comes to growing your personal brand. Focusing on building relationships with other LGBTQ+ professionals and organizations.
- Join and participate in LGBTQ+ focused and LGBTQ+ friendly organizations such as Lesbians Who Tech, Out Professionals, Out In Tech, StartOut who might have chapters in your city or a nearby city.
- Attend industry-specific LGBTQ+ networking events to expand your network.
- Find mentors or allies who can offer guidance and support.
- Join online communities for LGBTQ+ professionals and business owners such as Rainbow Remote which is a network for LGBTQ+ freelancers, digital nomads, and remote workers and Famm Connect which is the upcoming first social network focused on LGBTQ+ professional connection.
By aligning yourself with values-driven networks, you can be comfortable in expressing your values as an LGBTQ+ professional and building meaningful professional relationships with other LGBTQ+ professionals and LGBTQ+ friendly professionals.
Work with an LGBTQ+ personal branding agency
If you’re an LGBTQ+ professional who is unsure how to craft or refine your personal brand, consider partnering with an LGBTQ+ personal branding agency like my own, Marketing by Rocio. These agencies specialize in helping LGBTQ+ professionals build authentic, impactful personal brands that align with their career goals and values.
Overcoming personal branding challenges as an LGBTQ+ professional
Building a personal brand as an LGBTQ+ professional can be an empowering experience, but there are unique challenges that come along with it. From handling non-inclusive spaces to balancing authenticity with privacy to tackling imposter syndrome, here’s how you can address these obstacles while staying true to yourself.
Dealing with non-inclusive spaces
Unfortunately, not all organizations, spaces, or workplaces are inclusive or safe spaces for the LGBTQ+ community, which can make building a personal brand challenging.
As an LGBTQ+ professional, focus on organizations and networks that prioritize diversity and empower the LGBTQ+ community. Also, do careful research on potential employers, collaborators, and potential clients to ensure their values align with yours. Use platforms such as LinkedIn to connect with current and former employees to gain insights on their experiences working at a company.
Balancing authenticity and privacy
As an LGBTQ+ professional building a personal brand, you don’t have to share every aspect of your life and identity to build a strong personal brand. Choose what feels comfortable and empowering for you. Remember that authenticity is about being true to yourself while maintaining your own boundaries.
Overcoming imposter syndrome as an LGBTQ+ professional
Imposter syndrome can be a challenge, especially for LGBTQ+ professionals. Celebrate your achievements and wins as an LGBTQ+ professional by keeping track of any successful projects, recognition from colleagues or clients, and positive feedback. Also, embrace your unique perspectives and stories and lean on mentors and other fellow LGBTQ+ professionals to build your confidence when self-doubt arises.
By addressing these challenges thoughtfully and intentionally, you can build a personal brand that empowers you and creates meaningful connections with others in your industry or niche. Your story, perspectives, and skills as an LGBTQ+ professional deserves to be seen and take up space.
Examples of successful personal branding from LGBTQ+ professionals
Here are some examples of LGBTQ+ professionals who have successfully built personal brands that you can follow and take inspiration from:
- Blair Imani: Creator and host of Smarter in Seconds
- Max Siegel: Content creator and photographer specializing in travel, menswear, and lifestyle
- Mel Harris: Transformational partnerships, philanthropy, and organizational leader
- A.C. Fowlkes: LGBTQ+ sensitivity and inclusion consultant
- Lily Zheng: Diversity, equity, and inclusion strategist
What all of these LGBTQ+ professionals have in common is that they share storytelling and their own experiences navigating their professional journeys.
How Marketing by Rocio supports LGBTQ+ professionals with personal branding
Building a personal brand as an LGBTQ+ professional can be overwhelming, but you don’t have to do it all alone.
At Marketing by Rocio, we work with LGBTQ+ professionals to craft authentic, impact brands that reflect their values and career aspirations. Whether you’re looking for LinkedIn optimization or help with branding or marketing strategy that speaks to the values of transparency, equity, and social consciousness, we’re here to help you build an inclusive focused brand.
Personal branding as an LGBTQ+ is an opportunity for self-discovery, empowering yourself and those around you, and an opportunity for professional development. For LGBTQ+ professionals, building a personal brand helps them celebrate their most authentic selves, build meaningful connections with other LGBTQ+ professionals and allies, and allow them to take up space in their field and industry. By embracing your unique values, optimizing your online presence on platforms such as LinkedIn, and connecting with supportive networks, you can create a personal brand that opens doors for you and makes a meaningful impact in your industry and niche.
Looking to build a strong personal brand as an LGBTQ+ professional?
Reach out to Marketing by Rocio for expert guidance in building your personal brand to get started on your branding journey!
