A couple of weeks ago, my Public Relations internship class had a guest speaker who was lecturing about the basics of having a personal online brand. For those of you who are unsure what this means, you have probably already tried its simplest from: type your name into Google.
It only takes a couple of quick seconds and you can try it out to see what pops up.
Surprised?
Shocked?
Baffled?
The results that pop up are what is associated with your name when someone searches Google looking for you. Our guest speaker told us that many companies and organizations have HR representatives who do background checks on applicants to see their online contributions and see what they have been posting. This includes all social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, blogs, YouTube and every kind of site you can think of. Employers would love to know what kind of person they are going to hire for their organization.
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| Facebook is easily the site where people take for granted in posting pictures and comments |
Have you ever contemplated posting a picture but worried it isn't the best picture you want people to see? Or maybe it was when you wrote an inappropriate response on your Twitter thinking it would be funny or something off the top of your head? People will see and read it on your wall so becareful what you post because it will become public domain and associated with you.
Here are some important quick kips about protecting your online brand:
- First tip: PRIVACY SETTINGS.
It's your best friend. If you feel something is questionable then set your settings so that only those you wish can see it. Facebook cannot be searched if you use privacy settings and people can't see your tweets if you choose to lock them. Read the settings carefully because you don't want the wrong people to see the wrong things.
- Second tip: DON'T UPLOAD OR POST IT.
One of my teachers in class would say, "When in doubt, leave it out", and I feel that this rings true. Never post something that you don't want people to remember in a week or two, people will see it and it may come back to haunt you. Twitter has a public timeline so even if you delete something it may appear on the overall feed. Facebook is full of pictures of half-drunk party-goers with alcohol in their hands. Try not to get tagged in pictures that you don't want to be referred to and tell your friends to remove them off the site if need be.
- Third tip: SECURE YOUR NAME.
Names are a dime a dozen. There are only so many people in the world who were given an original name so there are bound to be a couple of people with your first and last name. Whether it is a website, your twitter handle, blog or something professional, stand out by securing the name. When people search you online, it won't lead to another individual with a questionable professional or online presence.
There are many more tips in protecting your brand and a completely different story when you're trying to build up your online presence. Just remember to be careful and be cautious when you use a camera on a night out with your friends. You've heard the expression, "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas", well in this case...it might end up on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, or anywhere else unless you do something about it.
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