For anyone who is unfamiliar with Mark W. Schaefer’s book Known, I will provide a brief summary before I share my personal thoughts and reactions. Essentially, Known is a handbook for building and developing your personal brand in the digital age. Schaefer begins by establishing the importance of personal branding and shares his own personal journey of becoming “known.” In the first chapter, Schaefer is quick to distinguish his book from other self-help books on personal branding. He emphasizes that most books will tell you to just focus on what you’re passionate about and fail to give you any advice on how to succeed. Schaefer rejects this approach and instead provides a step-by-step guide to growing a successful personal brand. The rest of the book goes into detail on how to follow through with each of these steps.
Initial Thoughts
Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by Schaefer’s book and found his advice well worth considering. As someone who is not a particular fan of self-help books, I began the book with some skepticism. Is it just me who could never get past the fact that 90% of a self-help book consists of random people’s stories that somehow end up proving the author’s point? Maybe it’s just me. While Known definitely still has its fair share of random people’s stories, Schaefer shares some excellent examples that show the transformative effects of personal branding.
I particularly liked how Schaefer makes it very clear from the beginning that anyone has the capability of becoming “known” and that there aren’t any set requirements or necessary skills. I also appreciated the easy step-by-step structure of the book. This makes it easier to read and follow along. Each step provides the reader with practical advice on how to actually get started on their personal branding and how to succeed in the long term. While I enjoyed reading Known and found many useful tips and ideas to consider, I am not entirely sold on the main idea of the book: becoming known in the digital age.
The Cost of Being Known
Despite the numerous benefits that Schaefer cites that result from becoming “known” in your designated niche, I began to wonder how sustainable personal branding in the digital age really is. Now don’t get me wrong, I can’t possibly deny the importance of personal branding but I do think it’s worth considering the negatives that come along with the digital space.
One of the biggest concerns of relying on digital networking and branding is the possibility of social media fatigue or (SMF). According to Techopedia, “Social media fatigue refers to social media users’ tendency to pull back from social media when they become overwhelmed with too many social media sites, too many friends and followers, and too much time spent online maintaining these connections.” Throughout his book, Schaefer emphasizes the importance of producing unique content in a niche that is not oversaturated. Yet since the book was published in 2017, we have seen a significant increase in social media usage through platforms such as TikTok and events such as the Covid-19 pandemic.
With everyone spending so much time on social media, people report feeling SMF and say that all content becomes to look the same. One Twitter user wrote, “tbh social media fatigue is so real. The shift to everyone being disinterested in it, is real. It all feels the same and recycled.” A 2018 Forbes article titled “5 Ways To Overcome Online Social Media Fatigue For Mental Well-Being,” also acknowledges the reality of SMF and provides readers with possible explanations to better understand the feeling. These reports suggest one of two things. First, social media users may gradually be losing interest and might begin to reject aspects of the digital world. Second, as the platforms themselves become oversaturated, it becomes increasingly more difficult to stand out within the digital space.
From personal experience, I am no stranger to SMF and often discuss this feeling with my friends who can relate. As a student who spends approximately twelve hours a day looking at a screen, I have come to reject the use of social media in my free time. Rather than scrolling for another few hours, I prefer to take part in activities that let me ditch the screen entirely. Another observation I made over recent years is that many college students tend to appreciate and value in-person interactions as opposed to digital ones. This very well may be an effect of the pandemic, but it certainly leads me to question what the future of social media holds. Going forward, I think it’s perfectly possible that we may begin to see more people rejecting the use of social media. This will in turn affect how people continue to be “known” and how they can navigate the fine line between standing out and becoming a part of the oversaturated digital space.
Where to Now?
After reading Known, it is clear that Schaefer views the digital space as an ideal medium for personal branding that virtually anyone can utilize. While I do not disagree that establishing your personal brand in the digital space can have many benefits, I have raised my concern for the future of social media. That being said, I think Known is a great read for anyone who is considering beginning their personal branding journey. Schaefer provides encouragement throughout the entire read and provides suggestions for the doubts that might be holding you back from getting started.
Thoughts to Consider
What do you think the future of personal branding holds? Are we headed toward a rejection of social media or is this just the beginning of the digital space? Comment your thoughts below.
