Social Networking for the Working Professional
The #1 statement I hear when I suggest social networking to my clients is “I don’t have time to keep up with social networking”. I must admit, I too being occupied with business and personal development, client project management etc., I did not make time for keeping up with social networking.
The Good News
Social networking applications have made it simple to use and easy to manage. For example, did you know that you can link your WordPress blog to your Facebook and Twitter pages? By linking them together, you save time by updating one interface rather than multiples.
Don’t Have Time for Social Networking?
For the very busy working professional, consider a website service that allows you to schedule your Twitter Tweets and updates, so that you can go on about your daily tasks. For example: Social Oomph allows you to schedule Twitter, Google Buzz, Facebook, Blogger and Tumblr to name a few.
Sites which offer similar services:
Digsby
A desktop IM, e-mail and social media aggregation app that brings together Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and LinkedIn, as well as multiple e-mail and IM programs.
Flock
This social media web browser gives you quick views of your friends’ activity on various networks , allows drag-and-drop media sharing and has a built-in RSS reader to track buzz around your brand.
Minggl
This browser plug-in for IE and Firefox gives you a toolbar and a sidebar to keep track of contacts, link up your profiles, send cross-platform messages and do mass status updates.
PageFlakes
This personalized home page application gives you widgets where you can see the latest activity in multiple social networks.
Business and Personal Social Networking Practices
Keeping your personal and business social networking sites separate can be a vital part of your business reputation. Please keep in mind that your information is public, unless your settings are private. As you grow your personal and professional network, consider the language and communication which you are sharing at all times.
Here are some tips to keep in mind:
- Create two pages on popular social networking sites – one for personal information and the other for professional.
- Keep your language on Twitter and Facebook updates generic and light.
- Link long posts to your personal or professional blog.
- You may be tagged in photos online with friends or out and about – keep it professional.
- Share new business goals and plans with the social networking community to gain their support!
Remember everything you do and say is a reflection of your personal and business image. Be conscious of the fact that some words do not translate well online. It’s better to be safe than sorry!
Erin Jordan, M.S.EMDT
Associates by Design, Partner
EJDesign Firm, Principal
O: 612.483.6958
F: 763.432.5362
Email: erin@ejdesignfirm.com
www.ejdesignfirm.com
