For the most part, social media is a second “face” that we have to wear when interacting with society. As most of us know, different social media platforms are geared towards a specific type of audience and will often have their own functions. For instance, LinkedIn is used by professionals in building connection and rapport with other professionals that are within the same field of work of industry. At the same time, this platform is also used by professionals in looking for work through connections.
Why Does Social Media Matter?
Managing your social media presence effectively is an excellent way of classifying different aspects of your life while also building your own reputation and “branding” that will attract even more prospects in the future.
Let’s face it: most of us want to look good on social media. Whether it’s showing off different countries that we’ve gone to, that fresh new car that we’ve bought, or that new job that we just got into, most of us want to give a good image to the public. However, the process of having a “legit” or credible online presence in social media is easier said than done.
Since almost everything is digitalized these days, most recruitment departments won’t necessarily have to dig through files of you when they can search your name through search engines. Most companies will usually do an extensive background check on potential employees since they don’t want to hire someone that might tarnish that company’s reputation instantly.
Almost any personal information regarding you can just be searched in a single click; having a good public image is imperative in having better business prospects in the future.
Fortunately, there are various ways of gaining a solid reputation and letting more people know about your special media presence. Here are some tips that you can incorporate into having a more professional career.
Effectively Managing Social Media Platforms
One of the most important aspects of building credibility is that you will need to paint a bigger picture. Although you might want to focus on looking professional, it’s still important to give people a glimpse of your personal life. Most recruiters are also curious about different aspects that go on in your daily life, and most of these behaviors can also be translated into a more professional setting.
Sometimes, the best way of handling your social media platforms and profiles is by having a social media management service monitoring your profiles for different platforms. This is especially true for platforms that you will primarily use for business and marketing. With other businesses vying for attention and engagements in social medial, you must ensure that you have an advantage over your competitors. Thus, commissioning the services of a
Having at least one profile for each popular social media platform is a great way of ensuring that almost everyone will be able to see your profile. In most cases, certain types of sites will cater to a specific type of social demographic. Here are some of the most prominent sites that you might want to have a profile in
- Facebook — There are practically billions of individuals who have Facebook profiles. Compared to other profiles geared towards a specific audience, Facebook is more general on whom it caters to. Most people don’t emphasize their “about me” section of their profile, but it does make a difference.
- Instagram — This platform is more focused on lifestyle and fashion while being heavy on the media side. Most individuals who will post on Instagram tend to upload photos regarding their personal lives. If you plan on having a more professional image, it’s also important that you focus on your personal life. When an audience can compartmentalize both aspects of your life, they will better contrast what is professional and personal.
- Twitter — Just like Instagram, Twitter is more focused on social aspects without being heavy on media. Although some individuals use Twitter for a more formal “business” setting, this social media platform is ultimately used to interact with a community. Most companies use Twitter to hear out feedback from customers and clients regarding products and services. Having a short and concise bio can help give most professionals an excellent first impression of you.
- LinkedIn — This site is geared towards professionals, and your profile will basically serve as your portfolio. You must finish your profile by ensuring that all of your professional work histories are up-to-date. It’s also important to connect with other professional individuals that are working in the same industry.
Building social media credibility for yourself shouldn’t be a problem, as long as you are constantly building a good rapport with others, building connections, and ensuring that you are gaining valuable information that you can gain traction from. Still, it’s important to engage your target audience as much as possible. Let them know what your intent is, and everything will follow suit.