Your online reputation is a huge factor in the success of your business. People will not want to work with you or buy from you if you have a bad reputation. On the other hand, if your business has an excellent online reputation, more and more people will be drawn to it. In this article, we will talk about how you can manage your brand on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter so that you can protect your company's image.
Be careful what you post on social media
Always think before posting and make sure it's appropriate for your audience. If you have posted something inappropriate, make sure to delete it immediately. This is especially true for Facebook and Twitter. These sites are very public, and posts are very visible.
Use the privacy settings to control who can see your posts
Control who can see your posts by using the privacy settings. It is particularly important for Facebook because it's so public. You never know if someone in your "friends" list will be friends with someone else who might work for the same company as you and spread information about you around the office.
Keep a list of all websites that you've created an account with and delete any accounts that are no longer necessary
If there is a website that you no longer use, log into the account, and delete it. It will prevent someone gaining unauthorized access and posting potentially bad information. For any websites where you do not have control over deleting accounts (such as Pinterest or Tumblr), make sure to lock your account down by changing the login information and deleting all personal data.
Delete anything from your past that could be considered embarrassing
If there are any old photos or updates that you would be embarrassed for your future employers to see, delete them. The internet is forever, and if someone sees this information, they could choose not to work with you because of it.
Stay away from commenting on controversial topics online as it could lead to negative consequences
Controversial topics would include trolling, cyberbullying, and anything else that could get you in trouble. You may have a passion for these topics, but it would be much more difficult to remove the online footprint than just deleting an account on a smaller website if anything were to go wrong.
Consider using a pseudonym if anonymity is desired or required by law
If you want to participate in an anonymous forum such as Reddit, consider using a pseudonym. If anonymity is required by law (such as when voting), make sure that your ballot can't be traced back to you and then destroy all evidence of having voted after the fact.
Your online reputation management begins with you through good behavior and maintaining positive interactions with others. Managing your online reputation goes beyond deleting content and changing privacy settings. If you want to have a good reputation, ensure that you are not engaging in any negative behavior.
Remember: your personal online brand is very important and something that should not be taken lightly. If you follow these tips, you'll likely be able to maintain the image that you and your business deserves.
