tips for managing your personal brand online

It goes without saying that there is a lot of good that comes from using social media and being able to connect with so many people on a regular basis.
 
From a business perspective you can reach your customers like never before, but have you thought about how you manage your personal brand online? 

What do I mean by personal brand? Well, personal branding is not the cute pictures you put up of your cat, your dog, or your kids on social media to share with your friends. Your personal brand is what people see about you when they Google your name, and this includes any business/ professional profiles you use online, etc.  
 
Everything we do online creates a unique digital footprint, so utilising the power of social media to promote your personal profile can have an important influence on your career and how people view you.
 
For instance, people are promoting their professional/ personal brand on several digital platforms such as LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to name a few. These sites allow you to be found and allow you to promote yourself and your skills to potential employers or clients.
 
Here are some tips for managing your personal brand online:

1. Think about the type of content you are putting out there. Would your pictures be a possible negative if they were viewed by a potential employer or client? If some of the photos you put up are for strictly friends’ eyes only, ensure that your profiles are private so that only your friends can view them. 
2. Think about those all-important Facebook profile pictures. These profile pictures have a way of becoming search engines in Google, so choose them wisely as you can’t hide them from search feeds. 
3. Think about what you write – If you wouldn’t say it in person, probably best not to say it on social media.
4. Consider getting some professional shots done up. If you are promoting yourself in business, or job searching, having a professional headshot or two won’t go astray and will show you are serious about building your professional portfolio. 

The main thing to remember is to be yourself and do what feels right. If it doesn’t sound like you, change it up, and if you wouldn’t be comfortable with your boss, parents, or children seeing a photo of you perhaps you should save it for the private collection.
 
Just my two cents
 
KB