What it means and what you can do to protect your reputation

Few more days and Facebook users are expected to hit one BILLION worldwide.  The announcement was made during the September 2011 F8 Developer’s Conference.

An online analytics firm predicted that the 800 million Facebook users last year would reach and even pass a one-billion mark by August 12, 2012.  This number would make Facebook thrice the population of United States.

As of April 2012, Facebook reported that it has 901 million monthly active users.  This was made known to the public as Facebook updated its papers at the Securities and Exchange Commission in its effort to become a publicly traded company.

Some 300 million photos uploaded every single day.  Some three billion likes and comments generated across the globe.  Yours is included in these numbers.  In few days time, one billion users worldwide will be able to see your posts and profile.  How protected are you?

Here are few tips to help you maintain a reputable image online.

Personal Level

Uploading of personal activities

On a personal level, Facebook users need to exhibit prudence in the kind of photo they are uploading.  Alcohol or party at the bar?  Uploading either of the two pictures puts your reputation at risk.  Your school administrator may see those revealing pictures and you are a potential candidate for suspension (of course, sanctions may vary depending on the nature of the school or university).  You should censor the type of information you are uploading especially if you are a professional.  Too often, bosses make random checking of their employees’ social media account.  You wouldn’t want to have him talk with you one morning about this violation.

Never ending complaints

The easiest way to piss an employer or a teacher (whichever is applicable to you) is make repetitive complaints and broadcast them on a super international medium.  People from various walks of life often make an extremely wrong explanation that social media is meant to be an avenue for airing plights directly to the concerned person.

Personal censorship is key.  Instead of making negative remarks online, try to channel a euphemized message that challenges an individual or a group of individual (to do better) rather than insults.  Breathe a couple of times and when the feeling of anger or frustration is still there, breathe again.  It is only then that you will realize the importance of personal control.

Too much information

From your personal relationship with someone, to your quarrels, to alleged third parties, to your plans of getting single forever – all these should be better kept to yourself.  Broadcasting using social media is something similar to news writing.  Always ask if what you will say is something that is worthy of the time of your friends or the rest of the online world.  Your posts should be something that are relevant and that evokes POSITIVITY.

Overly controversial photos

A picture of a baby inside a paper bag, a dog ruthlessly tied inside a sack and paraded on national thoroughfares, or a Friday night out with former teachers and goon-looking guys.  Looks familiar?  Such photos usually offend groups of people who are advocating for equality of rights or a decent, professional life.  Have you committed something similar to these?  Hopefully not.  Again, think, think, think before you do the clicking.

Corporate Level

In our previous post, we said online marketing is a battle of impression.  It is right to brag if your company has something to brag about.

The best strategy a business owner can do is to listen to what his or her audience has to say.  Establishing a very good relationship with your customers through your online presence can be made through providing relevant information such as an informative article.  Also, try to exercise moderation in channeling your marketing pitches through social media or email.

Public Figures

Indeed, government endeavors are another great application of social media.  But how should government officials act online?  Basically, what were discussed above apply to public figures too.  These include politicians and government agencies.

Now that a greater thing is at risk, stricter measures must be observed by these organizations in their social media strategies.  First and foremost, the social media strategies should be parallel to the vision and mission of the organization.  Posts that are relatively narcissistic (those posts ranging from positive to self-serving) are more preferred to a certain extent compared to controversial posts (for example, manipulated pictures of government officials present in a disaster-stricken place).

Individual public figures, likewise, should be ever ready to face the goods and goons in social media.  One classic example of the challenge of being a politician is US President Barrack Obama, who has experienced social media attacking starting from his announcement of presidential candidacy back in 2007.  This goon of social media has haunted him up to now.  Political analysts say this is due to his running for second and final term as President, a match of the incumbent (and first Black) President against Republican challenger former Gov. Mitt Romney, Libertarian Party nominee Gary Johnson, and Green Party nominee Jill Stein.

To sum it all up, the increasing number of social media users entails a challenge.  Always remember that having a social media account is similar to having a responsibility.  Like what we always mention in our articles, “think, think, think before doing the clicking.”