Have you Googled your name lately?

I recently gave a presentation to graduates on individual branding and suggested they Google their name.  Although, an unusual suggestion, it is a worthwhile exercise particularly if you are about to embark on your career journey.  As an employee starting out, organisations will Google your name and see what comes up.

In this day of the Internet, social media and hand held devices reputation matters more than ever. Due to the reach, immediacy and permanency of the online space, information and comments can impact on any business bottom line.

Just like all businesses have a reputation so to do individuals. Reputation building is crucial in today’s world and it is your responsibility to manage and maintain it.  This is not a one off exercise; it is a long term process.  A reputation can take years to build, however, reputations can be fragile in today’s online world.  Being online and on social media is crucial to managing your reputation.

And it is both personal and professional. If you haven’t gained employment yet – now is a good time to spring clean your profiles – remove and delete any inappropriate photos, comments or posts.  If you are employed, there is no harm in going through your profiles and making sure everything looks reasonably well.

3 key reputation management strategies to adopt individually:

Be online & establish a strong presence

Establish a strong online presence that provides a positive framework of you. You are in control of what your profiles say about you so be careful what you post. Your professional profiles need to match your personal ones – and by that I mean that your integrity, values and beliefs need to match and come through as being the same.

Be social

Social media increases your online presence so develop social media profiles and be active on them. Share content and engage with your audience. If you have more than one social media platform – then make sure your name, profile, photo is the same throughout – for consistency and recognition.

LinkedIn

Every professional person needs to have a LinkedIn profile and there are some key points to take into account. Have a professional photo.  Be clear and consistent with your messages. Have a strategy and know what you want to promote about yourself.  Actively seek recommendations from people who you trust as add to your credibility.

Social media and the online environment can contribute to what people think about you and say about you. You need to be careful how you present yourself and what you say and do.  Social and online branding is vital to your career as it allows you to influence your career.

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Tags: inidividual branding • LinkedIn • Social branding • social Media