SOCIAL MEDIA’S IMPACT
ON PERSONAL BRANDING
W HY YO U R D IG ITA L FO OT PR IN T M AT T E R S
Created by Nicole Gennarelli
Image retrieved from socialmediatoday.com
WHAT IS PERSONAL BRANDING?
“Personal branding, by definition, is the
process by which we market ourselves to
others. As a brand, we can leverage the same
strategies that make these celebrities or
corporate brands appeal to others. We can
build brand equity just like them” (Schawbel,
2009).
SOCIAL MEDIA’S IMPACT ON PERSONAL BRANDING
•
It seems that new social media outlets are
created everyday and everyone joins to see
if the hype is real
•
Soon, people forget the photos and status
updates they’ve posted to their public
accounts ; that information is now floating
on the Web for everyone to see.
•
Un-tagging photos or deleting inappropriate
status updates doesn’t ensure that friends,
family or future employers haven’t seen it
•
When using social media, the difficult part
can be the balance between posting
professional and personal content
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WHAT’S ON YOUR FACEBOOK?
• What kind of photos do you post to your
Facebook account? What kind of photos are
you tagged in? Are the photos public to
anyone on the Web? What would a potential
employer think of your photos?
A POSITIVE, PROFESSIONAL DIGITAL FOOTPRINT
•
Google allows anyone to discover a digital footprint
of social media content posted over time
•
Most of the time, a personal brand is how people
perceive an individual before they have even met
them
•
Sometimes information posted on social media
does not benefit a personal brand
•
In today’s society, future employers search online
media and social networks to find information on
job candidates
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A POSITIVE, PROFESSIONAL DIGITAL FOOTPRINT
•
Barnett (2010) suggests 5 easy steps to maintain a positive personal brand:
1. Edit your image
2. Consider your purpose
3. Enhance your online presence
4. Contribute to the conversation
5. Brand yourself
•
Anything set to the public privacy feature on social media is visible by everyone on
the Web; once it is online, it is out there forever.
•
Joining groups on LinkedIn that interest you or relate to a potential career field is
one way to build an online presence and meet people who share the same
passion
WHAT DOES GOOGLE SAY ABOUT YOU?
•
Have you ever Googled yourself? What information
comes up? Is it positive or are you embarrassed
about what you see? How can you change your digital
footprint?
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EVALUATING SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT
•
Ask yourself, "Is this acceptable for all my friends and followers to see?” before
posting content to any social network. If yes, post the content. If no, the content
could be potentially harmful to your brand.
•
Make sure privacy settings are correct before posting content. If photos and
statuses are set to public, it is visible by anyone on the Web.
•
The SimpleWash app works on both Facebook and Twitter and detects terms or
phrases that are seen as inappropriate. It then lets the account user edit the post
or delete it.
•
A website called BrandYourself gives users the option of controlling what people
find when their name is searched online
SHOWCASING YOUR BRAND
•
An online portfolio is an easy way to put all
your work samples in an online setting for
potential employers to view
•
Weebly, WordPress and Wix offer students,
young professionals and even experienced
communicators a free way to showcase their
personal brand
•
It’s easy to incorporate links into your social
networks and add touches of your personality
so employers can learn more about you
•
Tell people about your portfolio. Tweet or post
a link to it; include it on your resume and let
people know when you’ve updated content.
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SHOWCASING YOUR BRAND
•
Schawbel (2009) suggests that as a personal brand grows, consistent updating of
social networks is necessary
•
This means updating your LinkedIn profile with a current resume, job titles, and
contact information
•
Maintaining updated social networks gives employers and contacts an accurate
depiction of skills, jobs, and hobbies
•
Listen to what people are saying about your brand online
“By listening to your industry, you’re able to react and better
position yourself, as the economy changes and your niche isn’t
as relevant anymore” (Schawbel, 2009).
IS YOUR BRAND SUCCESSFUL?
•
Google alerts allow you to keep track of what is
being said about your personal brand by
choosing key words for Google to monitor. When
Google sees these chosen terms being used
anywhere online, it sends a report showing the
different Web addresses where these terms were
used.
•
This allows you to evaluate your brand’s success
and see if people are talking about you online
•
Are people reaching out to you? Asking for
interviews? Talking to you about your interests? If
you can answer yes to these questions, you’re
successful at maintaining and promoting your
personal brand.
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WRAP-UP
•
Evaluate your content. Make sure it’s appropriate for everyone to see.
•
Post updated content on your social media networks and online portfolio so
connections and employers know your current activities
•
See what is being said about your personal brand online so you can respond
accordingly
•
Make sure your digital footprint and personal brand reflects the best possible you
MAKE YOUR DIGITAL FOOTPRINT POSITIVE.
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