Laidlaw Group couldn’t agree more with personal branding expert and best-selling author Dan Schawbel. In his article “Build a Marketing Platform Like a Celebrity” Dan writes about how an online social brand is critical to supporting business or personal objectives.

Laidlaw Group guided Dave Wieneke through social media brand recognition with the design and development of a new Ezine to promote his personal brand. Laidlaw Group devised a social media strategy based on their extensive experience with high profile clients who want to reach out through this exciting new media channel. Ezines mimic the experience of reading an actual magazine with page-turn animation, compelling content and attention-grabbing graphics. You can see the Ezine Laidlaw Group created for Dave here: davewieneke.com.

With the entertainment industry’s focus on personal promotion, it comes as no surprise that using social media has become the most effective and direct way that celebrities communicate with fans, supporters and followers. An example of this is MC Hammer, whose early adoption of social media has proven to be an extraordinary boost for his personal brand. In an interview with Dan Schawbel, he reflects on his experience as an early adapter of social media. He says “The distance and relationship between the creator of content and consumer has shortened…My followers have a better understanding of my brand as a result of social media.”

“Your online “social graph,” a term used by Facebook to describe your real-life relationships and how you’re connected to everyone else, has become a channel by which business is conducted and jobs are distributed. It is an opportunity marketplace, where people come together and messages are streaming at the speed of light. Your mission, if you wish you accept it, is to build your network, so that it can support your business or personal objectives.”

“In a world where everyone can build their own marketing platform, we are all free agents and our personal brands have become the only accepted currency.”

The bottom line is that social media interaction, whether through a blog, twitter presence or the unique experience of an Ezine, is the best possible way to continually build a personal or professional brand.