Here are some action steps to get you started building your online brand.

Decide what you want to accomplish before the use of social media. Are you looking for new job opportunities or just want to connect with others who share a particular interest or expertise?

Finding out who your audience is and where these people hang out online. (You want to be as specific as possible in targeting your efforts.)

Create a LinkedIn account immediately. Add a great photo, import contact data from e-mail address and join a group.

Expand your own website, Facebook and / or Twitter.

Start developing a list of potential blog topics. This is a good idea to develop an archive of blog posts at least three months before the launch of your blog. Remember that social media marketing is a marathon, not a sprint. You will get out of it what you invest in it.

If you follow all these tips, when someone type your name into a search engine of the world’s most famous, they’ll soon have your virtual business card – and more – right at their fingertips.