How Integrated Should Your Online Presence Be?

The Internet, as we discussed last week, is the great connector of people across the world. Almost every human being on earth has some sort of online presence. This could be just a Facebook account, but could also include Twitter, LinkedIn, Foursquare, and more. Our online presence has become synonymous with our identity as human beings, as everything we put online speaks to our personality, thoughts and dreams.

With our lives on display for the world, issues of privacy are at the forefront in most countries. It seems that the moment Facebook exploded on the world scene so too did questions about their privacy settings. On many social media platforms, once something is on the internet, it is there forever. It is up to the individual users to think before they Tweet, and many never do.

Many professionals and companies consider their online presence to be an integral part of their “personal brand.” They are very careful with how they post, making sure that anything on the web is something they can be proud of showing. This is sound practice for anyone using social media to follow. One looming question remains with this practice: what platforms should you integrate with your personal brand?

Opinions on this question vary, and we could never give a single, authoritative answer. What we can give is our opinion:

1) Facebook: a great tool to connect with others and gain brand notoriety, especially through their fan pages.

2) LinkedIn: created as a professional networking site. LinkedIn is a nice addition to your online profile as it allows for sharing of business related information amongst your peers.

3) Twitter: allows you to share content that your professional peers may very well find intriguing, and can be used effectively to advertise your professional image.

4) Foursquare: companies, often with the help of a public relations expert, have found intriguing ways of using Foursquare. The site is devoted to letting people know where you are and what you are up to in the moment.

All of this is subjective and variable. To decide for yourself, just think: what would I be proud of advertising to the world, and what should stay among my friends. Make up your mind on this, and stick to it. After all, it’s your digital life.

Kathryn Kates Public Relations invites you to check out our website, or join the Kathryn Kates Public Relations Facebook Fan Page. We would love to hear from you.