Managing your online reputation

Managing your online reputation matters!  If anyone is going to deal with you, your business, offer you a job or a project – you can bet they will be checking you out online.  So, make sure your online reputation is squeaky clean.

Here’s our top 7 rules for Social Media and online reputation management.

1) Check yourself out!

Yes – that does mean google yourself.  See what you look like online.   Even set up a Google Alert so that whenever your name is mentioned you’ll know what’s being said.   (set up a Google Alert for yo

ur company too)

 

2) Check your online privacy settings

Check your privacy settings online. For Facebook – you can set it so that your profile is not picked up by the Search Engines.

Check out all the other social media tools you use – is your privacy setting as you would like it?

 

3) Set yourself some online rules:

Don’t post after 10pm

Don’t post if you’ve had even one alcoholic drink

Don’t post angry

Don’t post tired

If you really want to break any of these rules, then write your post out but don’t actually post it until after you’ve reviewed it as a refreshed, sober, calm individual.

 

4) What is your motivation?

Concerned that your post might not be received well?
Then ask yourself – why post it?

Adhere to the old rule “first, do no harm”, and you shouldn’t go far wrong.

 

5) Hold yourself accountable amongst friends first

Unsure about a post?  Build yourself a social-media focus group, well, a few friends that will give you honest feeback, before you unleash the fury of the entire internet onto yourself

 

6) Remember cyber-bullying isn’t nice, and it isn’t legal!

But even before that… remember that people commit suicide after online shamings!  Social Media is a harsh environment.  Be gentle on others.  Because you don’t know their state of mind, or their general mental health.   So if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.

If you absolutely have to call  someone out on social media, stick to the facts, and don’t ever, ever, ever make it personal.

 

7) Understand that it’s not fair

Be aware that some people can post certain things, and some people cannot.  It’s not fair, but that’s how it currently is.  For example, a known comedian can post something edgy and controversial.  However, a president of a major country, for example, shouldn’t.

A 13-year-old can be forgiven for a spelling error.  A president of a major country, for example, probably won’t be forgiven.  Think #Covfefe.

 

Finally – if you notice anyone decides to take a pop at you on Social Media – restrain from responding until you have developed a strategy that is going to make you look great! The easiest way to do this is to stop yourself from taking insults personally (keeps you calm), and to respond with pure facts.   And if you need more help with this – check out our next article – about fixing an online reputation.