The Importance of Online Professionalism

For the summer semester, I am enrolled in a new media course. This week, we covered the important topic of being professional online. Online professionalism is not just for those in the communications field, but for everyone in every industry.

So how do we maintain our professional online appearance?

First, do your research. There are plenty of resources online outlining the do’s and don’ts of social media. Here’s great article from Mashable talking about the etiquette of social media as a starting point: https://mashable.com/2017/02/14/guide-to-online-etiquette-manners-on-social-media/

Second, realize your impact. People are looking at your content, whether you see it or not. A rule of thumb I personally follow is: if you would be embarrassed by it a year from now, think twice before posting. I recently Googled myself for an assignment, and a tweet of mine from a few years ago was on the first page of results. If it was embarrassing, I would be mortified. Even if it’s not the first thing on your feed, it can still be seen!

Third, take charge. You are responsible for upholding your personal brand, online or in person. It is up to you how you want people to perceive you. Be mindful of how you want to be perceived and seen by others who know you, and those who don’t. Keeping a professional appearance takes time and effort. Clean up and polish your accounts if you think you might have some questionable content.

With these tips, you can start to build and maintain a professional online appearance. You’ll be able to thank yourself later!

Image by Erik Lucatero from Pixabay