3 Questions to Ask Before You Build Your Leadership Brand Online

So, you’ve decided to “build your leadership brand.”
Great. But before you rush to update your headline or plan your next LinkedIn post… pause. 

Because building a leadership brand isn’t just about showing up online.
It’s about showing up with clarity. 

Here are 3 simple but powerful questions to ask yourself before you start: 

• What do I want to be known for?

This one’s easy to skip — but it’s the most important.
You can’t build a brand around everything. The clearer you are, the more memorable you become. 

Are you the “people-first leader”?
The “product thinker who simplifies complexity”?
The “founder who’s not afraid to talk about failure”? 

Think beyond your job title. Think about your lens — how you view your work, your industry, your values. 

💡 Pro tip: Ask a teammate or peer — “What’s one thing you always come to me for?” The answer is often the start of your brand. 

• Who am I speaking to?

Spoiler: It’s not “everyone.” 

Your leadership brand becomes powerful when it’s relevant. And relevance comes from knowing your audience. 

Are you speaking to: 

• Young professionals who look up to you? 

• Future customers or partners? 

• Your own team? 

The tone, content, and style you use will shift based on who you’re trying to connect with. And that’s the point — leadership branding is relational, not just performative. 

• What do I want people to remember about me?

This is about your impression — the feeling you leave behind. 

Do you want to be seen as clear, bold, thoughtful, approachable, insightful? 

The way you write, the stories you tell, the kind of content you share — all of it contributes to how people experience you, long after they’ve scrolled past. 

Your brand isn’t just what you post. It’s what people remember. 

Before you start typing… 

Don’t build your leadership brand on autopilot. Build it with intention. 

At etch, we help leaders find clarity before visibility — because showing up online only matters when it reflects who you are. 

Ready to ask the right questions? 

Storyteller