WhatsTheBuzzAbout.com

Are You Too Scattered in Your Online Presence?

Have you developed a plan for your social media presence, or are you responding to the latest invitation and/or latest trend?

Most people begin their social media foray as a result of someone recommending a particular social network or purportedly time-saving web site. They may discover a group on that network which peaks their interest and they join. People see them on the site and know that they share the commonality of the site, and they offer to connect. What follows is the cycle of connection and invitation requests.  Next thing our newbies realize is that they are on many different social networks and have many connections.

If you have been active for a while, you may be on certain social networks and groups because you need a presence for your business or other reasons. You may have joined because you have an interest in the topic or someone significant in your life has recommended that you do so, and you do not want to offend them. All of those are valid reasons.

A good exercise to do annually is to take your own participation quiz without benefit of notes or online information. Attempt to list all the social media web sites and networks to which you are a “member” and then list all the groups and subgroups to which you are a member.  In general, most people would not be able to create an accurate listing without referring to online information or their personal data base.  However, you will quickly determine those groups and networks which are of significant value to you through this exercise.

You do not have to be active in every site to which you belong to consider yourself a valued member or the site of value. You do not have to post to provide value. You can provide value to a group or a site though letting others know about the site or about the topics discussed. Just increasing your knowledge through reading postings is of value.

You may want to narrow your participation, however, if you have little interest or reason to have a presence. If you find that you are receiving “spam” as a result of your membership on a site, let the owners know before you simply disconnect. Give them the opportunity to remove the offender from the group. As you move along in your social networking journey, be selective in where you invest your energy and time.

Time is not retrievable, and just as you are selective in your in person relationships, you should be comfortable in your online relationships. It is acceptable to decline invitations and to disconnect from individuals and leave groups. It is acceptable not to visit every group and every site every day. It is acceptable to do those things which are meaningful to you and not necessarily what others think should be meaningful to you. Again, the choice remains yours.

What is your buzz about?

How Much Do You Reveal About Yourself?

You may believe that you are being very circumspect in what and where you post and what networks, groups, and forums you join.  You may find it very enlightening and you may be surprised how many others are “watching you” or “checking you out” on the internet.

You may find yourself in a meeting and the individual with whom you are meeting has done his or her internet due diligence on you. The individual will tell you facts about you that will be surprising to you that they were so easily discovered. You may find that it takes minimal effort  to discover what causes you support, whether you made any political donations, what membership organizations and networks you joined, what your core beliefs and values are, your birthday, whether you graduated from a postsecondary educational institution and the year of your graduation, with whom you are connected, etc. The list continues with photos, residence, telephone, work, directory information, criminal history, and many other criteria.  

Without even asking you one question, people will know a lot about you and will form opinions. You are simply data on the internet—a compilation of facts and postings. You can be perceived as a person of ill-repute or good rapport simply by what you post. You can be tracked for suspicious activities by authorities, tracked by a potential employer conducting due diligence, spammed through capture of your email address, contacted and watched by potential suitors, stalked by criminals, monitored by parent(s), “followed” by friends and colleagues, managed by search engines to optimize your stay on sites, as well as categorized by shopping sites and teased to buy other things based on your purchase or page review history. Your passwords can be retained by your system if you choose and used to automatically log you on the next time you wish to visit a site, which incidentally you can choose to bookmark or permit to pop up in a URL drop down list.

It is another world on the internet. If you believe that you are protecting your privacy – think again. You are on public display when you are on the internet, whether you are trying to be circumspect or not. Some individuals believe that parents should protect their children while children are on the internet, regardless how they protest. There is no sure fire way to protect them. All we can do is minimize their vulnerability.

It is a wise lesson for us all. Our “business” is out there. Take an internet photo of yourself-capture what is already public information and you will get a picture of who you are. You are a singular unique individual who is of great importance to friends and family. Protect yourself as you would protect a child. Treat yourself as though you were a King or Queen. You are significant and you deserve respect. Let your postings and affiliations speak for you. Do not be afraid to be authentic with dignity and let your public persona shine. Your information is out there; therefore, let it reflect the real you.

What is your buzz about?