Three tricks get out of the social weeds

Q1 is such a great time of year for me. I am so full of energy. Ready to tackle new challenges. I am full of hopes of new customers, plans to connect with them and strategies to engage with them. So hopeful. So hopeful, indeed. It isn’t until about midway through Q1 that I start to notice that as a group, we tend to get mired in the weeds and details. Sifting through content calendars, blog posts, social updates and Twitter responses. We became very busy with how things are worded and legal approvals. And before the smell of spring is in the air, we are so standing so close to the proverbial tree, staring so intently that we are getting a bark imprint on our face.
It is so hard to not get mired down in the weeds of all of the details of marketing a product or service. We have goals and directives to meet. Lead generation campaigns to launch, marketing automation branches to define. Emails to write. But we will never meet any of our directives or goals if we are standing right up on top of the tree.
We need to remember the forest of customers. It is the customer that makes achieving those goals and directives possible. Because when we step away from the tree and the minutia of delivering marketing, we are able to see better where we can add value to the customer AND meet our goals. The bark of the tree is your brand. The forest is where your brand answers a consumer need and if we are busy with the tree all the time, we will miss the opportunities of the forest.
So, here are three ways for you to step away from the bark:

Hear her.

While you are busy reading posts about your brand, it is very easy to only hear your brand name. When you read it again, remove your brand from the comment and really hear her. What is she saying? Does she need answers? Is she comparing you to others? When you really hear her without the burdens of your brand, you can begin to form an understanding what she needs. When you hear her and understand her, you can give her information and tools to be successful. That is if you have those tools or that information. If you don’t, you now know what you need to do to help her and make her an advocate for you.

Stop marketing…just for a second.

Marketing is selling, really. Maybe soft selling, but it is part of the funnel. And when we are our most honest, we admit, people do not like being sold to very much. When we are in the weeds, we are focused on driving sales, or leads, or engagement. Basically, we are trying to get other people to do something they would not naturally do. And when you’re in the weeds, that’s what it is, but, when you stop marketing for a second, you can see the forest for the opportunity it holds and can see ways you might be able to add value. Adding value is selling today and it works. When you’re in the weeds, stop marketing and start looking for ways to be a helpful resource to her. People like helpful. They buy from helpful.

Take off your brand hat

When I am in the weeds with some marketing project and I am totally stuck, I ask myself would I do/use/buy/click/register? If the answer is “no”, I need to revisit the strategy as a person, not a marketer. I think about what I would need in this product and how I would use it and what I would pay for it. It is a good starting point, but in order to do this, you have to remove your brand hat because that clouds the judgment a little. If you are unable to do this, call your best friend or mom and ask them. They can give you some insights that you might not otherwise get.
Too frequently we are so close to the brand tree bark that we forget that we need to meet a consumer need and if we are not meeting that need, the brand will languish. Being a nimble marketer is important and if you can remember to get out of the weeds every now and then, we will see greater success for our brands.

Is 2014 the Year of Google+?

We’re not the sort of people to ever suggest placing all your eggs in one basket; however we will hedge our bets and suggest Google+ is going to be bigger than it’s ever been in 2014.
With the arrival of Hummingbird many believe that 2014 is going to be the year that content marketing comes truly alive and will be the pivotal part of the marketing equation. Something we believe should be of note is that Google+ is going to be there every step of the way.

Google+ may have seemed a little underwhelming until now; however all is not as it seems. With over 340m active monthly users the site is far from a blip in the social media ocean – in fact it’s the second largest social media network. In fact, it’s potentially a huge wave – no Google pun intended – and 2014 may be its big year.
So, what do we base this on and what should we prepare to expect?

Pushing it as a Social Media Force

Google spent 2013 trying to push Google+ into the main stream in every which way possible. From switching over the YouTube commenting platform to Google+, to really pushing Authorship among marketers and websites, to even adding Hangouts to its latest version of  Android as an all-inclusive messaging service – Google’s been upping its promotion of the site.
Needless to say we expect more of this pushing and plugging of the site in 2014 as Google tries to place its social network at the fore. Expect, them to use mobile phone search to aid this somewhat in the coming year.

Local SEO AND Mobile

Googles always been quite strong in the local SEO area and has always included it as a component. A lot of Google’s services, including most notably in this example, Google Places or Google+ Local as it’s now known are Google+ orientated.
The reward for inclusion here is obvious – higher rankings in local mobile searches – something that Google has a 90% market share in – far higher than its desktop search portion. As we’re all well aware mobile search user numbers are going nowhere but upwards – so expect this part of Google’s strategy to be increasingly well-honed in the coming year.

Promoted Posts

Google+ is now in the BETA stage of promoted posts and it looks like it’s going to go the way of Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest and begin charging for posting.

Authorship

Authorship has been a factor in the back of marketer’s minds for almost three years now. Over that time Google has constantly amped up the pressure on people to utilise it. We expect to see this focus to increase even further in the coming period.
Google Authorship offers a lot as it allows you to link your content to your profile and your image to sit proudly beside your work. For your content it means a better chance of it being seen and also easier sharing. It also boosts your authority on a specific matter – something that’s in no way any harm.

Community Appeal

One of the big Google+ capacities and one that’s always been a prominent area have been the site’s communities.
Due to the nature of people that tend to use the site and also its close ties with other Google tools, G+ has always had strong communities. The year 2014 looks like a year of strong growth and interaction.
So, if you have a business in a specific niche or on a niche subject matter – the options for growth on Google+ are notable and should certainly be examined.
Google+ may not ever overtake Facebook, or might never have the mass appeal of Twitter, however with each year past it’s gathered steam and also popularity exponentially and it seems in 2014 this expansion will continue – so utilise it and reap the benefits.

3 Smart Ways to Amplify Your Online Customer Service

Customer service is perhaps the most important element of online business because poor human interaction can deter individuals from completing the transaction. The secret to customer service really does come down to treating others with respect, knowing the subject.


For online business owners the real trouble comes when they wish to interact with their customers and leads to provide valuable support. The use of telephone and email simply aren’t enough for the majority of online shoppers, which is why this article presents three options for amplifying the experience through smart online choices.



1. Support Ticket Systems & Help Desks


The software in this category generally provides a variety of helpfulness to the customer:
A knowledge base where customers (and leads) can post questions and receive answers
A ticketing system that can import inquiries from multiple locations and devices
A managerial back end to view reports, performance, and feedback


These items are generally billed per month or by agent (sometimes both), but in terms of costs it’s a very safe bet when it comes to offering robust solutions for online customer service.
2. Remote Access & Support


Remote access software is another fine choice for providing business support. This type of software often includes the ability to hold conference calls via audio and video, which is often used to tutor customers about their new purchase (which, depending on the businesses’ creativity, can apply to any physical or digital product).


Features that make this form of customer service so attractive include:
The low cost of implementation and ease-of-access for users and customers
Remote access to a computer removes the need to fully train the client/customer
Online presentations presents an opportunity to upsell products and services


The ability to take control of the computer, for the user, allows your support specialists get right to the thick of the problem, which not only gets the user well upon their way but doesn’t force them to sit on the phone trying to figure out what the representative meant (when they’re not attuned to technical terminology).
3. Live Chat & Online Video


The third in our list of customer service options is one that shouldn’t be too unfamiliar — live chat. But there may be some developments to this platforms you haven’t quite known about over these last few years.


Newer versions of live chat may now come packaged with:
Multi-user sessions, logging, and file transfer per customer
Online video chat in place of traditional chat messaging
VOIP communication via built-in hardware on both ends of the conversation


There are many inherent benefits of expanding the technological features of live chat. The most visible of these benefits is the fact that having a face-to-face, even if it’s through the use of online video, helps to build trust because the customers are directly interacting with the business.


Live Help also presents an opportunity to increase conversions. A simple coupon code or link to a landing page offering one before the customer leaves (or done so through a follow up call or email pulled from the chat logs and contact information) is an easy way to grab the low hanging fruit for the business.
Conclusion


In all, if you feel your online business is lacking in customer support it may not be your representatives. The issue may be that they aren’t well equipped with the modern resources to provide the best possible experience for those sending inquiries.


Consider the three options for your business. Explore the rich features of a help desk. Implement remote accessing software to aid in tech. Upgrade the outdated live chat system. Don’t miss out on another opportunity to satisfy your customers.


Image Credit: Dell Inc.

OVERCOMING SKEPTICISM ON SOCIAL CAMPAIGNS AND VINE

Lots of brands pitch us at Social Media Explorer to talk about the nifty social media campaigns they’re launching. Most pitches make me sick to my stomach for a variety of reasons. The majority because your plan doesn’t interest me. Your success does. Pitch me after the thing is over and you can share some success metrics.


Sometimes its because the campaign premise is disingenuous or just a spin on advertising applied in the social space. And yes, sometimes its because the PR person or firm in question is spam-tastic or pitches me something I’d never write about in the first place.

So I sat Sunday looking over material aboutApplebee’s new social media-driven campaignaround it’s new 550 Calories Menu, trying to find a reason to write about it. The pitch was relevant and handled nicely, I happen to know Jill McFarland, Applebee’s Director of Social Media (though she wasn’t the person who pitched me), and I’ve always liked Applebee’s because a local franchisee was a big sponsor of a college athletics program I worked for once. On the surface, I thought, “It’s just another plan, not success,” but the more I looked at it, the more I realized Applebee’s was doing something neat.

The whole premise of social media, at least from a marketing perspective, is to engage and empower your customers or fans to help fuel a word-of-mouth passion for your brand. By listening to the conversation, engaging your online voices and empowering them to contribute in ways, small and large, you become a “social” brand. Applebee’s 550 Calorie Campaign is set to do all of that in a compelling, integrated way.

Before I go any further, I’m issuing a demand to Applebee’s right now: We want to see success metrics on the back-end of this. Within three months, I want to be able to share what this effort did with the SME audience. I’m going out on a limb with this post and am writing against my standing attitude toward social media campaigns, but I’ll trust that you’ll understand that and feed us some measures of success soon! (My audience expects it by now.)

The campaign is simple, but smart. During the Golden Globes, the restaurant chain will air a television commercial (with relevant support and buzz-building on social channels in tow) that will ask fans to submit Vine videos about the 550 Calorie Menu using the hashtag #BeeFamous. Two winners will have their Vines featured in Applebee’s commercials that will air in February. So they’re leveraging traditional media to drive people to social channels, encouraging participation and engagement in an activity that fuels future traditional media while rewarding fans with opportunities for exposure.

As you may know from my first and only Vine, I’ve not been high on the channel much.

There are already a couple of interesting submissions. This one’s my favorite so far.





No, this type of contest isn’t new. Leveraging Vine in clever ways isn’t either. But the coordination of it all, plus the front- and back-end integration of traditional advertising makes it music to my ears. Most brands would launch a Vine contest like this and only tell people about it on Vine or perhaps its Twitter and Facebook channels. Applebee’s knows social media isn’t a place where if you build it, they will come. It’s a place where if you build it, then promote the living crap out of it, they might. Kudos to them for getting that

Having run a video/commercial contest before, I can at least throw out some level of expectation. For a 30- to 60-second commercial contest, you can expect between 500 and 1000 entries, depending on the size of your audience, the appeal of the prize and how much you’re willing to spend to promote it. For Vine? I’m guessing about the same, if not a bit more. While the 6-second format makes it far easier, to come up with a submission-worthy Vine, you’ve got to be fairly creative. More importantly, however, is the online buzz generated by the effort. I’d be happy with 250 entries if 10X the normal amount of online buzz about the restaurant happens as a result of people talking about it.

Either way, I’m confident we’ll know how it goes at some point. If not, I know where Jill lives. Heh.

What do you think about the effort? Cheesy? Effective? As always, the comments are yours.

14 Top Marketing Pros Give Their Best Tip For 2014

At Firebrand Group, where I work, we consistently meet with prospects and clients ultimately interested in one thing: marketing success.


While we focus on powering marketing success day in and day out, I thought it might be nice to turn to my network of authors, strategists, social media executives, entrepreneurs and ask them one question:


“If you could make just one recommendation to companies to power their marketing success in 2014, what would it be?”


Here’s what they had to say.
1. Dorie Clark (@dorieclark), Strategy Consultant, Author of “Reinventing You”:


It’s time to create targeted content – now. As I’ve written about here and here, in a crowded media environment, companies must draw customers proactively to them. Ads are fine, but the benefit goes away once you stop paying.


The real secret is a robust content marketing strategy. It doesn’t have to be blogging; it could be a podcast or a Pinterest account or even a company song. But it does need to be something.
2. Ryan Holiday (@RyanHoliday), Director of Marketing at American Apparel, Author of Trust Me I’m Lying and Growth Hacker Marketing:


I think 90% of companies would see more “marketing” success if they focused that energy NOT on marketing, but rather on improving the product or the service. There has never been more media than before, so the market for interesting stuff is basically infinite.


Pitching is easy, marketing is easy. Doing something worth talking about is more difficult.
3. Ekaterina Walter (@Ekaterina), Co-founder and CMO of BRANDERATI; Author of WSJ Bestseller “Think Like Zuck”:


Nurture advocacy! And instead of creating marketing campaigns, build movements around your brand.


In the age of infobesity, advocacy becomes the most relevant brand marketing filter. And by advocacy, I mean the highest expression of brand love by a brand’s consumers, partners, and employees. What’s more, in the social era, the right form of advocacy becomes true influence.


True influence is not about numbers ; it’s about impacting behavior through passion, relevance, and trust. And genuine, organic love for a brand impacts behavior much more than a paid recommendation.


Only brands that focus deeply on building and nurturing long-term relationships with their true advocates will see sustainable business results.


We are entering an Age of Advocacy in which consumers are no longer buying brands; they are investing in them. Marketers will move from marketing to their fans to marketing with and through them.
4. Christopher S. Penn (@cspenn), Vice President of Marketing Technology at SHIFT Communications, Co-Host, Marketing Over Coffee:


The number one recommendation for companies when it comes to social media and marketing success in 2014 is to realize and understand that your audience is not something you own. At best, you are a temporary steward of your audience, but as countless examples have shown, one PR misstep and you can lose it all.


Your best defense against this is to clearly define your values and what your brand stands for, then rigidly adhere to those values in every aspect of your marketing.
5. Augie Ray (@augieray), Former Forrester Analyst, Finance Social Media Executive:


Focus on customer experience and how you can integrate peer-to-peer social media and recommendations into the product or service experience.


Brands like USAA, Amazon, Apple, and Google don’t succeed in social media because they have better content or social strategies, but because they offer great experiences and let customers do the talking for them.


Social media isn’t a bullhorn for brands; it’s a magnifying glass that takes what you are and the experiences you offer customers and amplifies the good and the bad online.
6. Ted Rubin (@TedRubin), Social Marketing Strategist, Keynote Speaker, Brand Evangelist, and Acting CMO of Brand Innovators:


Empower your employees…and they will power your brand! Every company can benefit enormously by recognizing the fact that social connection is an integral part of all of our lives now.


Remember that in today’s social world, every person has an extended circle of personal influence and an opportunity to build their own personal “brand.”


By helping your employees build that brand rather than squelching individuality, you could build an army of very powerful advocates. Most people, when given the opportunity, will advocate for their brands when they feel good about where they work.
7. Aliza Sherman (@alizasherman), Award-winning Digital Strategist, Author:


Stop doing what you’re doing. Unplug, take a step back, take a breather. Think about what you’ve done online over the last few years and what you’re thinking of doing in the new year.


Change it up. Don’t do “business as usual.” Experiment. Find a way to shake up the status quo. Take time away to look back with fresh eyes and ideas.


Disconnect to reconnect to what is truly important to you and those whom you’re trying to reach and influence.
8. Chris Ee (@RdLessTkn), Integrated Digital Strategist at Bajibot Media:


When it comes to anything involving numbers (think big data, analytics/reports, a/b testing & optimization) – while understanding its implications are important, ensuring the right person who is at the helm is just as important. Not every company needs to have a data scientist on staff, but they do need to be able to communicate their findings in a very succinct and impactful manner.


Data is not just about increased “ROI” per se: it is the key companies rectifying mistakes and identifying new opportunities.
9. Mark Schaefer (@markwschaefer), College Educator, Blogger, Speaker, Best-Selling Author:


Re-evaluate everything. Do you think you know who your customers are, what they need, and how they are getting their information about your products?


There has been a cataclysmic change in buying behavior over the past 18 months and it will continue to change. Businesses simply must continue to evolve quickly in this period of rapid technological revolution.
10. Lauren Hackett, Director, Communications & Social Media, Consumer Reports:


Find the line and walk it! In the age of data mining, social sign-in, and re-marketing, marketers have to be careful that they don’t cross the line and go from friend to stalker. If you’re looking for a one and done, then by all means, infiltrate all pockets.


But savvy brands know that they are forming a relationship with a customer, and that takes some skill and respect.
11. Peg Samuel (@socialdiva), Social Media Expert. Digital Strategist. Keynote Speaker:


Engage with your audience!


Social Media is not just a news broadcasting tool. Engage with your fan base: it is a blessing to have fans and customers, so treat them as such. Social Media is intended to be a two-way conversation, so if someone is reaching out or commenting on a post, comment back.


I’ve seen customers ask a brand about inventory or where an item can be purchased, without a response from that brand. That’s a big opportunity loss in both that potential sale and in building customer relations.
12. Ross Sheingold (@RossSheingold), Chief Strategy Officer at Laundry Service:


Stop talking about your big data and start putting it to use! As soon as possible, put a team in place that will work across departments to integrate your CRM and POS data with your content marketing initiatives across the digital space (social, email, web).


It’s time to take brand storytelling to the next level by using the data at our fingertips as a catalyst for more efficient and personalized marketing.


If you work in this field, you’re a data scientist!
13. Megan Berry (@meganberry), Head of Consumer at RebelMouse:


Just as in the lean product school of thought, marketers should get out minimum viable products and then test, iterate, and retest to improve their campaigns. Social media gives us real time data we can use to learn what resonates with our audience, allowing us to build out bigger campaigns from there.
14. Hillel Fuld (@HilzFuld), Tech Blogger; Startup Advisor:


Value. That is my recommendation. Stop self-promoting and start providing value. Stop asking for likes and start giving me a reason to like your brand. Value can be in the form of a blog, video, or any other content, but your marketing strategy should be to provide value consistently.


—-


How many of the above recommendations is your company already following? What changes do you hope to make in the coming year?


Either way, here’s wishing you plenty of fun challenges and even more success in 2014!

Five Unwritten Twitter-for-Business Rules for 2014

If the Justine Sacco case showed us anything, it’s that people are still not fully aware of the potential ramifications of their comments on Twitter. Those using branded accounts or with a company title in their profile can act as de-facto spokespeople for your business, and writing ‘views are my own’ in their description might not negate collateral damage to your brand.


So while we generally know not to post inappropriate content, there are a few unwritten Twitter rules that probably need to be noted, just as a refresher for those with their mouse pointers hovering over that ‘Tweet’ tab, ready to fire off something they’re not 100% sure they should.


The five rules go like this:


1. Thou shalt refrain from using thy brand profile to Tweet personal updates. Use your personal profile for that – or better yet, your personal Facebook profile with relevant privacy settings in place. Don’t share news about your favourite sports team or your son’s first word, this is the place for business updates and information relevant to your business followers - always keep the audience in mind. Social media is about establishing connections to foster ongoing relationships, spamming your followers with content they have no interest in is not likely to endear them to your brand. Also, if you’re in the public eye, or your personal profile has alignment to your brand, maybe avoid using Twitter to send questionable content.


Cautionary tale: Anthony Weiner’s recreational activities


2. Thou shalt reconsider tweeting uponst consuming too much ale – We’re all on social media all the time - your iPhone’s right there in your pocket, waiting to be checked, but sometimes you do need to disconnect. Sure, most people can handle their drink and it’s generally not a problem, but just a consideration for those with access to a brand Twitter account.


Cautionary tale: American Red Cross ‘#gettngslizzerd’ Tweet


3. Thou shalt confirm thou art logged out of thy brand profile before tweeting – Have you ever sent out an e-mail then noticed that you’d CC’d a person or group you really didn’t mean to? I imagine that feeling is similar to the one you get after sending out a personal message from your brand Twitter account. It’s been blamed for a raft of Twitter fails over the years, including Microsoft’s Ann Coultercontroversy. Make sure you double-check where you’re sending from before pressing ‘Tweet’, it could spare you a world of pain.


Cautionary tale: KitchenAid ‘Obama’s Grandma’ Tweet


4. Thou shalt maintain thy awareness of world events and trending topics – An ill-timed Tweet can become a major PR disaster. There’s no way to 100% protect against this, but worth checking the trending topics, and what the actual story is behind it, and paying attention to news events to avoid potential mis-associations with your content.


Cautionary tale: Celeb Boutique’s ‘Aurora’ mis-understanding


5. Thou shalt eliminate negativity from thine Tweets. This is no joke, and one which we should attempt to apply as widely as possible. You remember how your parents used to say ‘if you can’t say something nice about someone, don’t say anything at all?’ Yep, that. There’s no reason for, or benefit to, negativity on Twitter. You don’t like want someone’s saying, you stop following them. Don’t engage in any bashing of competitors or making critical comments. Your brand Twitter profile should remain positive and focussed on your company strategy. Sometimes you may have to respond to an unhappy client, but keep in mind that Twitter is a public forum, everything you or your representatives Tweet is out there for the world to see. If an exchange is at risk of getting heated, advise the client that you will connect with them in a more private forum.


In a broader sense, social media is a new world, in relative terms, and the ethical boundaries of it have not yet been set. By working to eliminate negativity, we can create a new normal, through weight of majority, where negative comments are simply not acceptable practice. You can never take back something that’s been said in person, but you can re-read a Tweet before sending. No negativity on Twitter. No place for it. Let’s make that a goal for the new year.


(Twitter rules / shutterstock)

How to Clean Up Your Digital Footprint and Your Online Identity

Is there anything from your online past that you would not want people to see?

Do you want to start cleaning up your online identity?

Your digital footprint is everything that shows up when people search for you online.

From images to comments and blog posts, this collective first impression can make or break your online reputation.

In this article, I share 5 tips for making sure your online presence reflects well on your brand or business.
#1: Check Your Facebook Privacy Settings

If you use your personal Facebook profile to promote your business, things from your personal life can become public very quickly. To maintain your privacy, it’s important tohave your Facebook account set to friends only.

You may think that your account is already on lockdown, but Facebook privacy settings change often. Follow these steps to ensure your profile is ready for potential clients to see.

Specify the audience for future posts

As the default, all Facebook posts are set to Public, so before delving into the past, make sure you privacy-proof your future.

In the privacy settings of your Facebook profile, you can edit the Who can see my stuff? section to choose who’ll see your posts. The choices are Public, Friends, Only Me or Custom.



These settings can help you avoid making privacy blunders in the future.



For extreme privacy, the best choice is Friends. If you’ve already accepted friend requests from both personal and business acquaintances, you can create a Custom list to filter who sees what and avoid any embarrassment.

Edit past actions with the activity log

The activity log lets you edit the privacy and visibility of any action that you’ve ever made with your Facebook account.



Here’s how your actions look in the activity log.

To open your activity log, click on Privacy Shortcuts, the Who can see my stuff? drop-down and then Activity Log.

As you review your actions, use the two drop-down options in each post to change its privacy and visibility settings.



Edit the privacy and visibility settings of any action in your activity log.

It’s a drawn-out process, but well worth the time to know unwanted information isn’t available on the Internet.

Change privacy settings of past posts

Facebook has also made it easier to change the privacy settings of your past postswithout using activity log.

In Privacy Settings, choose Limit the Audience for Old Posts on Your Timeline to Now, and edit them all with one click of your mouse.


For a much quicker resolution of your privacy problems, this feature is key.

Take advantage of the tools Facebook has in place to help you present a professional identity.
#2: Search Yourself

Most of us don’t know everything that’s published about us online. In addition to the content we publish, friends and colleagues sometimes share about us, too. Are you sure everything out there is appropriate?

Using multiple search engines, search for your name and see what comes up. A picture can speak a thousand words, so make sure you search for text and pictures.

If you find something that could damage your reputation, take steps to have it removed.

This is an easy fix if you know the person who’s responsible for posting it. Ask them to take it down immediately.

However, if the content is on a site hosted by someone you don’t know, contact the site owner or administrator with a request to remove it.

Deleted material may still appear in search results for a short time, but will disappear as Google updates its search results.



The first thing potential clients will do when researching is Google you, so make sure you have nothing to hide.

Make a self-search part of your regular reputation management and it’s easy to stay on top of where and how you’re mentioned online.
#3: Revise Your Personal Blog

While you’re well-versed in presenting a professional appearance on your business blog, you need to remember that private blogs show up in search engine results, too.

If you have a personal blog you use to vent frustrations and make personal observations, go through your posts to edit them for language and delete anything that will hinder you professionally.



Make sure there’s nothing on your blog that could cast you in a bad light. Image source: iStockphoto

Your blog is a virtual shop window. Make sure your posts are put in front of potential clients for all the right reasons.
#4: Delete Abandoned Social Media Accounts

We all grow up, but that doesn’t mean clients need to see the awkwardness. If you still have a MySpace or Bebo account lingering around, it’s high time to delete it.

The high-angle MySpace selfies and teen-angsty blog posts were great for high school but won’t do much for your business if they’re found by the wrong people.



Don’t let old social media accounts embarrass you with clients.

Delete dormant profiles on neglected social media networks to show yourself as a professional.
#5: Think Before You Post

Finally, when you’re about to post an angry status or emotional tweet, make sure you’d be happy if a client saw your post and formed an opinion of you based on it.

Also remember that LinkedIn tends to come up first in a personal search engine query, so keep your LinkedIn profile strictly professional.



Take a minute to consider the content you’re posting before hitting Send. Image source: iStockphoto

Don’t publish offensive or incriminating posts. Share interesting information that paints you in an attractive light to potential clients and you’ll increase the chances of contact with them.

Conclusion

Clients, colleagues and employers will form an opinion of you from browsing the first page of Google search results. Use the tips in this article to manage your reputation and ensure that everything that could possibly be found about you online is respectable and professional.

What do you think? Do you agree with cleaning up your digital footprint or should we be more open with the information we share? What tips can you share? Let me know in the comments below!