8 Big Mistake
Not Managing Your Social Networking
Don’t say anything online that you wouldn’t want plastered on a billboard with your face on it.
—Erin Bury
Social media is an extension of your brand. Be smart, realize that nothing is private, and know that what you post can be used in a court of law. On the flip side, if social media is used well, it is an effective way to make connections with business associates. Keep in mind that everything you put online will be there forever. This can affect your professional life, no matter your age when you posted something or how long ago you posted it.
“Right, like the boss will know I’m spending all day schmoozing on Facebook.”
Together with social media gurus Lauren Feinstein and Adam Tobolowsky, we have compiled best practices advice for integrating social media into your business plan. This chapter focuses on building your personal and professional brand through your social media.
Many are apprehensive when approaching social media. They fear diving into something they possibly could not sustain. The importance of social media can be based only on how much work the user puts into it. Imagine an individual consumer seeking a specific product using only social media. That person would use search terms specific to his or her needs and choose the most credible-looking account to make the purchase. A social media account that has been built, but not maintained, will more times than not get dropped for something more up-to-date. The viral nature of social media is undeniable and has recently been responsible for the worldwide uprisings and changing of political regimes, yet people are still timid when using it to market their business. The power of social media is vast, and with the correct tools, you can succeed!
As stated on LinkedIn. com, there are two advantages of social media: First, it is instant. You can quickly respond to customer demands and feedback. Second, you can use your site to speak to other businesses and increase online traffic back to your own business. On the other hand, there are a couple of disadvantages of social media: It’s time-consuming. Keeping your online presence and content up-to-date requires time. Also, unhappy customers can post feedback instantly—and to a much wider audience.
It is important to manage both the positive and negative aspects of social media. Most importantly, you must manage it as you are communicating through everything you write online.
By using the tools LinkedIn provides, you will be able to efficiently connect, organize, and even reconnect with past, current, and future networks. For example, when asked to specify “How do you know this person,” fill in the content diligently to categorize and retain contacts over years of experience. When the time comes, you will be prepared. Keep in mind that LinkedIn is a virtual résumé and networking site that is strictly for business use. It is a professional/social networking site as opposed to a social/social networking site.
Best Practices for LinkedIn
Keep your updates business related.
Your professional credibility can be put at stake by any questionable or politically incorrect postings.
Postings should be less frequent, putting more emphasis on professional quality rather than quantity.
Groups can be used to expand your personal and professional brand. Joining groups and exposing yourself to new potential contacts that have the same professional interests as you will enable you to present your thoughts to unique eyes.
An insightful comment can go a long way. This is an important tool for any professional making new connections through current connections.
Make sure your page is well written and well thought out.
Proofread for errors, keep your information clear, and be concise (people want the bottom line).
LinkedIn is a tool for the entry-level employee all the way up to the CEO.
On the ground level, sourcing is made easier for those account managers seeking a decision-maker. On the other end, a CEO can manage his expansive list of contacts as well as present a demonstrative leadership persona to others.
There are two types of Facebook accounts: personal pages and business pages. This means you should not have two personal pages and use one for professional use and the other for friends and family. It is vital to use the appropriate kind of account for the topic at hand. If the account is to keep up with friends and family, create a personal page; for a business, use a business page. You are not beating the system by not following this protocol; in fact, not using the right page could hurt your efforts to reach a wider market. When promoting a brand, splitting resources in half hurts the overall goal; that is, having two Facebook pages promoting the same brand splits the amount of likes the brand will get. Unfortunately, most people don’t have the attention span to “like” the same thing twice. Focus your efforts on one page and start stockpiling fans.
Best Practices for Facebook
Use appropriate privacy settings, but don’t be too trusting. Somebody (employer, family, even law enforcement) seeking to find information about you can always succeed, even with a strict privacy setting.
Where there is a will, there is a way to find someone on the Internet. Be cautious.
It’s best to develop a custom privacy setting for both your personal and business pages, as both are different in nature and content; therefore, they deserve different attention and management.
Privacy settings are no longer simply restricted to photos, messages, and friend requests. Facebook has innovated to the level of specifying between friends, acquaintances, family, and others. This allows for the appropriate content to be published to the appropriate audiences and hides the content from others and those who need not view those posts.
Do not post anything negative about work. Be aware that many employers do track Internet usage on company computers.
Be sensitive to the amount of posts you write. People do not like having their feeds clogged with unnecessary information. This will compel others to unfriend or unlike your account and ruin a professional or personal relationship.
Three Facebook posts a day is a good amount for a personal account, unless you have developed into an industry thought leader. In that case, make sure to accommodate Facebook posting supply and demand.
YouTube
With billions and billions in traffic, YouTube has become one of the Internet’s top sources for visual knowledge. Many brands, companies, products, and services are viewed on You-Tube daily, creating newfound revenue. If you’re a do-it-yourself or how-to person, YouTube is a must. YouTube value plays a vital roll in your overall Internet presence and is a stepping stone that must be in place.
Best Practices for YouTube
Before you jump in and make videos, make sure you understand the terms of service.
Keep up with comments on your videos.
Use this platform as another way to make new relationships.
Your YouTube channel design adds legitimacy and therefore should be planned out before you upload the first video.
Making sure your video formatting is in spec with YouTube requirements will result in more views and quicker growth.
Twitter differs from other platforms in terms of content; it’s more about what is said than of who said it. Searches are more keyword based, whereas searches on Facebook focus more on people. If your Twitter handle is used under a pseudonym and content doesn’t identify back to you, feel free to be silly and have fun. If your Twitter represents you personally or professionally, filter your thoughts. Twitter gives people a powerful voice and should not be abused. Everything you write on Twitter is public; be careful that you are communicating your brand.
Best Practices for Twitter
Be witty and expressive, but be aware that being heard can lead to problems if not executed properly.
Be mindful that despite the decision to delete a post, people still could have seen it in the brief time it was published. Certain programs allow others to see posts even if deleted, especially if they include profanity.
Use Twitter as a tool to express insight into your industry.
Being active in the online community of your interest gives the ability to become a thought leader. Insightful comments provide a basis for industry credibility and mass exposure as a public figure or as a business leader.
Follow those who interest you; this will broaden your horizons, which ultimately leads to new followers. Followers equal power and leverage.
If the goal is raising awareness, every follower represents a vast new network of potential viewers, which emphasizes the viral nature of Twitter and social media as a whole.
Utilize the search box with subjects of interest and find new conversations to join and others to follow.
Consider following people suggested by Twitter, and take note in trending topics.
Use a business Twitter account to create business relationships.
Teach your clients how to follow you and then make sure you keep your tweets professional.
Be conversational. Use Twitter as a discussion forum; it enables your clients to see that others respect you, too.
Thank people when they make comments.
Do not be an overposter; this will make you lose followers. It is important to understand that Twitter allows 140 characters for a reason. People on Twitter are looking for and expecting the bottom line.
Blogging
Anything you blog regarding work can be used against you, so use your professional voice rather than slang. Also, edit your posts and make sure there are no typos or grammatical errors. Be clear and concise. As we’ve mentioned with other social media outlets, don’t be too personal; keep your opinions to yourself. Make your blog personable, interesting, informative, and useful for readers so they will keep coming back.
Best Practices for Blogging
Do not post anything negative about work where colleagues or customers can read it. Manage your settings well and make your information private to the public.
Be aware that many employers can track Internet usage on company computers.
The wrong message can drive people away from your brand.
Ask Yourself These Crucial Questions
Have I figured out the ROI on building my online presence?
Am I committed to spending at least one hour a week to build my online brand?