In an age where people are making first impressions about others just on what is presented online about them, it is very important to be informed of your online reputation. Numerous services are out there that people can use to do this, however, there are other strategies and tactics that people can do.
Create your own domain name for your personal web site. There are many benefits to doing this to help manage your online reputation. First, it gives you the control on what is posted on this site – otherwise, if you do not register your domain name, someone else can buy it and put whatever they want on it. Plus, it allows people to be able to search for you online. I have had my web site now for about 14 years – it has transformed over the years from first originally starting out as a Val Kilmer fan site (what can I say? I was in Jr. High and he was my favorite actor at the time 🙂 ) to using it to promote myself in track and field to get a college scholarship (full rides at SMU, Florida, and USC), to now focusing on my research & presentation opportunities and being basically my an interactive and visual CV.
Have a blog. Whether it is a personal blog or a professional one, or even both – it has almost become an expectation that business professionals (especially those working in Public Relations) knows how to write a blog, and also understand how to strategically use one for their clients and in their PR campaigns / research. I have had my blog now for about three years – and it has been a wonderful outlet for me to write about issues that I am interested in and things happening in my life. Plus, it is a great networking opportunity. I have had several job offers and network connections based on my blog.
Implement different types of social media that reflect your personal brand. Some professionals only just have a web site, or just a blog – or they are only on Facebook. To be successful in managing your reputation, you have to have a presence on all of these different types of social media. I am not saying that you have to be on ALL of these sites, but the major ones are definitely important. In my opinion, I would say having a web site, blog, a Facebook account, and being on Twitter are a good start – but you have to look at the business environment that you are currently in. There may be other sites that are specifically related to your industry, so it is important to be aware that you may have to branch out and be on these sites as well to reach your target audiences and managing your online reputation proactively.
Knowing how to “present” yourself: Since people are making judgements about you immediately, it is important to make sure that the informaton that they see (ex. blog posts, pictures, etc.) are the ones that best represent who you are. Making sure that you have an appropriate profile picture that is happy, positive, and shows your personality is key. This profile picture can be used for your web site header, business card, and on these social media sites (ex. Facebook, Twitter, etc.)
I hope that this helps! 🙂 Have a great day!
Best Wishes,
Karen
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