Social media is a necessity when it comes to internet marketing. Almost every individual who is exposed to internet has active profiles on social networking websites like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, etc. The moment you meet someone, search someone’s name online or find a social profile online it’s someone’s social media identity and first impression. With that being said, it’s now more important than ever to make sure your first impression online is a good one!
No doubt there are hundreds of advantages of being on social media, there are some disadvantages as well, which can quickly ruin your entire image. When you post a picture on any of your social networking profiles, you have got to remember one thing – the entire world is watching you.
‘But I always protect myself and keep my privacy settings limited to my friends!’ you say. Honestly, despite your efforts to keep yourself protected, it is kind of impossible to do so. If your friends can see your picture, so can the friends of your friends and so on!
This is where online reputation comes into the picture. Your image on internet can either make you completely, or break you into pieces. Therefore, you have got to focus on not only creating your image, but also understand what it takes to have control over what people see, find and do in relation to your personal or brand name online.
As SEOBrand.com’s online reputation agency reports in their ORM infographic, top ranking content on Google accounts for nearly 33% of all search clicks. This means if you aren’t ranking for your name, someone else is! At the same time, 70% of recruiters and hiring managers are now looking online to see what they can find before making any final decisions. Social media is also adding fuel to the fire in online harassment, which is something that could also come back and hurt your own reputation as well.
We’ve only scratched the surface of what it takes to create a great first impression online and how to maintain a respected online presence. Now it’s time to run through seven actionable tips that you can implement right now to start looking better online.
Here are the top seven ways in which you can protect your online reputation on social media:
- Creating excellent content: If you are looking forward to branding yourself or your company, product and service, it is in your hands to control the content of your profile. Don’t write, post, forward or share something that hampers your reputation in any way, especially if you have a page of your own. When you post something online the entire crowd on your page reads it and builds an image about you. Post more of motivational or inspirational quotes and less of controversial stuffs.
- Watch what you post (think TWICE before posting something): When you write a post or a status message, make sure you not only think twice before posting but also put yourself in the shoes of the readers and find out what you think about what you are about to post. If you post something abruptly, people tend to have a negative image about you; this makes it difficult for you to build an online reputation.
- Hire someone to maintain your reputation online: If you really want to have a nice reputation online, hire a reputable ORM agency, who knows how to post the right kind of things that trigger the right space in the minds of people for you. There are many companies that are into branding and maintaining your reputation for you.
- Do not get involved in political or religious arguments: We all have political and religious opinions; you don’t have to hide them, but involving yourself in such issues can not only be dangerous for your image, but also for your entire career. If you want to maintain your respect in the market, don’t get involved in political or religious posts. If there is an argument going on between two people, races or groups, avoid posting or commenting on such issues. It is okay to turn your head to the other side, if you really care about your respect!
- Interlink your blog posts with the posts of your social media profiles: Having a blog is a pure gold; use it to make yourself more popular and trusted on internet. If you are a regular blogger, let people know about it. Connect your social networking profiles with your blog and let everybody know what you post on it. This way, you not only have people reading your social profiles, but also increase traffic to your blog.
- Watch who you add (people see what kinds of friends you have on your social media profiles): When you meet someone, the first thing that you see is the kind of behavior he has around his friends and what kinds of people he connects with. It is rightly said that an individual’s company or friends make him or build his reputation in front of others. People look up to you and find out what kinds of friends you have on internet. Thus, before adding anyone or accepting any friend requests, it is better for you to find out if they deserve to be around you.
- Be friendly, not over-friendly: When you comment on someone’s pictures or on some page of any of the social networking websites, it is better to maintain your respect by being within your limits. Being friendly is really amazing; people consider you as a down to Earth person. However, if you cross your limits or are flirtatious or over-friendly with people, your reputation is badly damaged on internet.
Now that you know what it takes to protect your good name on the internet through social media, it’s time for you to put everything you just learned into action.
