I've been considering all the advice of how to build your brand with social media, then hearing about how a slip of the typing fingers belying one's true self can destroy one's good name. Being safely past the risk of posing for drunken-bikini photos even though I am within spitting distance of a top 10 "party school" (so disappointing, I know. And it wouldn't be the bikini who was drunk, either, you grammar queen types), I digress.
I got to wondering about more subtle consequences of participating on-line. My brilliantly funny or insightful facebook or blog comments could pop up on a google search and impact my "on-line reputation". My post on "Shut Up and Dance" yielded an email from a friend, rather that a comment on the public blog, as the she did not want her comment to be searchable. I didn't even think about the fact that comments are searchable! Fair call.
I got to wondering about more subtle consequences of participating on-line. My brilliantly funny or insightful facebook or blog comments could pop up on a google search and impact my "on-line reputation". My post on "Shut Up and Dance" yielded an email from a friend, rather that a comment on the public blog, as the she did not want her comment to be searchable. I didn't even think about the fact that comments are searchable! Fair call.
Question 1: How are we supposed to build our personal brand?
Is that a whole-person brand? Is it two brands? The professional persona, and the unprofessional (of course, ahem, I mean outside-of-work) persona? Do you have one brand or two? Are you using a pseudonym for your privately fun side, so it doesn't impact your professional brand? Should you? Why can't you have a sense of humour, or a fun-side to your work persona? Should we be all that we can be? Do we risk multiple personality disorder on top of fewer job offers?Question 2: If we are too private on-line, what do we miss out on?
The personal branding guru Dan Schawbel says I'm missing out! If we don't want to take the risk of sharing too much, are we missing out on things that we could find, read, participate in, etc. if we just shared a little more? (...and I don't think I mean sharing what you had for lunch, unless that starts a lunch club... and that would be fun! Okay. I take it back.) Are we missing out on business opportunities and collaborations because we are too closed? We know a little about the nasty privacy problems (like ID theft and stalking) but what about the missed opportunities?- Preserving the 'right to be left alone'
- Tips on safe-sharing
- 9 Tips for Establishing Your Own Marketing Method as a Freelancer
- Facebook and other Social Media for Business @ Madison College West
I'd love to hear what you think - take a risk and comment below (or anonymously). If you'd prefer it NOT to be searchable, let's get together and verbalize.... here are some dates to choose from.
See you soon.... from...what's my pen name...hmmmm... I'd better change the name of this blog.
