I dare you…open an incognito window and Google yourself. What came up? Was it much, was it good, were there some surprises, are you proud of what you found, and does it represent you accurately? OK, let’s take a deeper dive into your online presence.
Whether you like it or not, having an online presence is something that’s hard to avoid these days but it can be something that works for you. If you are a freelancer, self-employed, or looking for work then you will want to spend some time making sure your online presence is as good as your in-person impression. After all, first impressions count.
The Basics To Check
Facebook
Instagram, Twitter & other social media
Linkedin
Personal websites
Companies websites
Other websites
Images
Take a look at your google image results. If the images are you and represent you well, great. But if they aren’t actually you, and you want them to be, you might need to look at where you can work on this. The easiest way to change this and start showing up in results is by adding your name into the alt text on your website, Pinterest, or wherever you have control of SEO.
If you have a public Facebook account, the likelihood is that you are somewhere on the first page. You don’t need to worry too much about this but if the pictures that come up aren’t something you want to be associated with, start adding some pictures with your name in the file and alt text, and you’ll have a bit more luck with the results.
Make accounts private that you aren’t happy for potential employers to see such as Instagram and consider deleting anything that isn’t appropriate anymore. Go through your Facebook and have a clean-up, consider also updating your security settings if you wish to not be searchable. What you show of yourself and your social life online can give a good insight into you as a person, team member, and potential representative of a company, so consider what your online presence says about you.
Videos & YouTube
YouTube is a big part of our online life and it isn’t going anywhere. Honestly, how many of us have gone to YouTube to look something up and quickly learn something. It is a great platform and, if you want it to, it can be a great way to create community and let people into your life and/or work, aka behind the scenes. Of course, there’s more than just YouTube, you might have been featured in a documentary or interviewed and these show up.
I have a vlog channel and am now working on an Architecture channel. This reaches both aims of letting people get to know me, connect with us as a family #IcelandFamilyLie and also helps build my business through video tutorials and more. Professional and personal, I have control of it and it works for me. I’ve found that it’s a good way to reach people, clients, and customers - but it is a lot of work.
Maps & Your Contact Details
I can remember when a student once pointed out that it was obvious where I lived because Instagram had tagged my location on a lot of my recent posts (this feature has now been removed) but it was alarming that they could easily look on my feed and see where I had been, and where I’d posted a majority of pictures; ie at that time, my ‘home studio’.
It can also be scary, and very annoying, when contact details are slipped into the public realm like your email or phone number, and you start attracting spam. Be very careful about where your details can be seen, and by whom. If you don’t want your email out there, take it off your Instagram bio and remove the contact button as it takes people right to an email page where they can copy your address. People can always DM you if you want them to contact you.
Do a search every now and then to check what comes up. Having your contact details online can be a useful thing, especially if you have a brick and mortar but for obvious reason, protect yourself and your family. Don’t list your home address, or show clear pictures of where you live unless you want people to know and be able to visit.
If you sell items, have a return address you’re happy to list and if you want to receive samples or gifts, opt for something safer like a PO Box.
5 Ways To Add To Or Change What’s Online Of You
Check all account Bio’s and update info
Update profile pictures to reflect the way you want to be seen, i.e a clear, professional headshot
Check over videos and add any that will help your online presence and better represent you
Build a simple website and add a portfolio section to show examples of your work (add your name to the alt text of images)
Check over the contents of any websites that you are associated with, i.e current employer, previous employers, etc.
Safety Online
Being online is almost inevitable. It’s wild to think back to the first time I went online and dialed up, or that I once attended a training on how to set up an email account - I’m sure my daughter will laugh at that. She will possibly just think that the internet was always around, what did we do before it?! And she will likely end up in a job that hasn’t even been created yet.
We have no idea where it’s all going, it’s good and bad, scary and wonderful but at the end of the day safety is important. Yes, you can block certain websites in your control, in the safety of your own home, but don’t be put off by this.
