It amazes me how many horror stories emerge about the things employees publish about their workplace online, but I think there’s a lesson for all of us in there about protecting our digital brand. In my role, I frequently use social media tools such as Twitter and blogs to interact with people and let them know what’s happening at MYOB, as well as give my personal opinion on business in general. I think I’m sensible about what I post online and am always aware it’s the company name I am representing, even when I am writing from my own perspective, such as this blog.
A digital brand is all of the data that is online about a person or business. Your digital brand doesn’t just let the world know about your business, it can also give them an insight into your character and professionalism. The number one thing to remember is that every little thing you post online makes up your brand. Even comments or photos uploaded under your personal brand can impact on your professional brand, so it’s vital to only publish things you would be happy for a potential client to view.
To make sure you have a strong, positive digital brand carry out a search on yourself and your company, checking all areas including videos and images. If you find something negative then you need to attempt some damage control. On social media sites makes sure there are no photos or comments that could be perceived negatively. Remember, even though you might be careful, your friends might not be, so check that your security settings are set to only you being able to tag yourself in photos and make sure you keep the sites monitored.
If there is negative information coming up about your business on other websites, you have the right to contact the contributor and ask them to remove it. If the information is incorrect (and make sure you have your facts right here) then you can contact the web page master and ask for it to be removed. In the long run though, it pays to monitor the Internet and keep up with what is being said, so you can act before it spirals out of control. You can also combat negative posts by keeping fresh, positive content about your business in the public eye.
How do you protect your digital brand? Have you had any negative experiences?
