Social media usage has skyrocketed over the past few years. It has become an amazing outlet for marketing, whether it is a personal brand or a Fortune 500 company. With the good comes the bad.
It is imperative that you are careful as to what you post on social media as a person and as a brand, and also monitor what is posted ABOUT you as a person and as a brand. Here are some tips to help keep your social media presence a positive asset:
First and foremost, Google!
This is a good practice to do every now and then, regardless if it is business-related or not. Make sure to enclose your name in quotations and search for different deviations. For example, I hyphenated my name when I got married, so I look myself up a few ways:
- “First name maiden name”
- “First name married name”
- “First name hyphenated name”
If you have an nicknames, search them out as well. You will be surprised at what you find when you complete this simple exercise (hopefully all good things!).
Set up Google Alerts for an easy way to monitor your brand. By doing so, a notification will be sent to you via email whenever something pops up on Google that is relevant to your Alert search criteria.
Rectify any negative comments or posts
Remember that anything posted on social media is basically etched in stone. Review your social media platforms and make sure that all posts and comments are consistent with your brand. It doesn’t go away. What stings the most are negative comments.
If negative comments arise, handle them immediately and keep an eye out for future comments lurking about.
These two easy steps will start you on your way to a meaningful and hopefully prosperous relationship with social media!