Tips for Creating a Social Networking Profile

Tuesday, April 8th, 2008

Your social networking profile is important. People visiting your profile are making conclusions about you and your business from very little information. Small things, like your picture (also known as your Avatar) and your email address can say a lot about you. Your bio and your company description will say even more about you. Don’t just throw your social networking profile together. Put the time and effort into creating a profile that’s informative and compelling. Doing so will make a huge difference in how you are perceived by your social network.

Every directory and social networking site wants slightly different stuff so it’s hard to say “This is exactly what you need.” But if you have the basics, you can edit or add as needed. The following is a list of information you will most likely be asked to add to your profile (assuming your profile is mainly for business purposes).

Components of a Social Networking Profile:

• Screen name – Base it on your name or business name. “Cutesy” screen names make you look unprofessional.
• Job title
• Company
• Website URL
• Blog URL
• Tagline
• Email address – Use a professional email address not your personal email address. If you have a website, have your webmaster set up an email addresses at your domain name. It looks a lot more professional than a Yahoo or Comcast email address.
• Thumbnail picture (aka Avatar) – Get a good headshot! Don’t have your kid or spouse line you up against the wall and take a photo. It’s unprofessional and can be downright scary. You don’t have to spend a fortune on professional pictures. I recommend going to a high school portrait photographer and asking them for a CD of the pictures.
• Summary or Bio of different lengths – It is crucial that your summary or bio be well written. Don’t just throw it together on the fly! Spend some time working on it or get help with it. Tailor it to the audience of the specific social networking site.
• Key words and phrases that describe your products or services. These are words your target markets would use to find you so be careful about using industry specific jargon.

Information you might need or want to include:

• Education and job history – If you’re in a field where these types of credentials are important and you don’t mind disclosing them, go ahead but be mindful of how much information you’re giving out.
• Recommendations or Testimonials – You do have these, right? Well put them on your profile! Show people this isn’t your first day on the job.
• Interests or Hobbies – Remember; people are looking for information about who you are. Adding pertinent interests and hobbies can make you memorable.
• Groups and Associations – Listing these adds to your credibility. If you have access to the group or association logo, add it if possible.

Tags: network online, social networking, social networking profile
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