Textbook Chapter 2: 10 Things to Improve Your Personal Brand

Growing up when social media was really beginning to boom, I was always warned about the negative impacts that social media can have on your life. How nothing ever truly disappears and no matter how small something may be it can always come back to bite you. However, as I've become more active on social media, I've realized how important it can be to have a social media presence. Which is exactly the point that this chapter makes.

Make no mistake, no social media presence could debatably be better than a terrible one. This chapter goes into depth on how to properly curate a positive and professional social media presence. It reviews different practices and mindsets that you can utilize to put yourself in the best light for potential employers. 

Build Your Brand 

1. Platform
• You need to determine what platforms are appropriate for your personal use and your professional use. Platforms such as LinkedIn and X (Twitter) are typically used when creating a professional social media presence. On the other hand, apps such as Snapchat are typically reserved for personal use. When it comes to websites such as Facebook it's really your decision! Facebook makes it easy to utilize privacy setting that can prevent potential employers from seeing your content. Although, if you allow someone from your workplace to see your personal social media pages you may need to reevaluate how you operate on those platforms. 
2. Determining Your Image
• Make sure that you have a good idea of the version of yourself you want to present. Obviously, if this account is for professional use, then you want to display positive qualities and skills that are attractive to potential employers. Great ways to determine these qualities is to conduct a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis on yourself. You should also analyze your goals, mission and passions. By combining all of these ideas you can then express them through your personal brand.
3. Appearance
• It's important to determine what types of images or videos that you want to use. While professional headshots can be pricey you can always take a picture of yourself in professional dress with good lighting and a plain background. This allows you to create a professional look for your page without having to spend the money on professional pictures.
4. Highlights
• Make sure that you are emphasizing important accomplishments and responsibilities. A great way to do this is to overview them in your profile bio or to pin certain posts to the top of your profile. This way whenever a potential employer looks at your profile their first impression is of your accomplishments. 
5. Resources
• This mostly pertains to platforms such as LinkedIn which allow you to attach resources such as cover letters and resumes. You can also put the link to your LinkedIn profile in the bio of your social media accounts.
6. Tone
• Establishing a professional tone with your social media account helps add to the impression that potential employers will get from looking at your account. Aside from vocabulary and the information that you chose to share pictures can also play a large role in establishing tone.
7. Personality
• Social media platforms are a great way to showcase your personality and express your passions and goals in a genuine manner. Make sure that you share experiences that have not only contributed to your professional development but that you have also genuinely enjoyed. 
8. Association
• How you conduct your profile is just as important as who you associate with online. For example, if you have a very professional page with impressive accomplishments but you are also openly active in groups that have an unsavory image then you are damaging your professional image. In addition, if someone who you are friends with posts unflattering images of you or tags you in a post with an inappropriate tone that can also damage how you are perceived. 
9. Etiquette 
• This is mainly referring to how you use your platform to interact with others. Make sure that if you are commenting or reposting someone else's content that you do so in a respectful and mindful manner.
10. Upkeep
• For as long as you have your social media platform you should be going over your posts and making sure that they match your idea of your personal brand. Your image of yourself may change overtime and may change more or less frequently than someone else. But it is important to consistently portray yourself throughout all of your public social media platforms. 

By actively thinking about these aspects of your social media page you can create a more professional and impressive social media presence that is sure to leave a positive first impression!