Since embarking on my social media journey, I have been exposed to the degree that which social media truly connects us to the world on a daily basis.
Recently at Maple Creative, we have had an increase in the number of clients that require and/or would benefit from Search Engine Optimization (SEO) as an integral layer in their organization’s marketing mix. After a lengthy meeting with SEO guru, Justin Seibert – Direct Online Marketing – I began to realize all of the opportunities Maple Creative was missing by not effectively positioning the company in the digital universe. After all, we are an integrated marketing communications firm that is hired by our clients to perform the very marketing tactics and strategies that we, ourselves, are not implementing (which will lead me into a blog post eventually).
However, I could not help but begin to analyze my own personal branding efforts as a result of the SEO conversation. I wonder how many opportunities I have missed in reaching target audiences with personal branding messages. Oftentimes, we place so much emphasis on the company brand that we fail to effectively communicate about the personal brand.
As I began to research the topic of effective personal branding and the potential effects on one’s personal brand, I was taken back to the former Maple Creative blog – Marketing Genius – and a post entitled:
Don’t Let Social Networking Damage Your Personal Brand
By: Skip Lineberg
The following were actually posted by employees on social media sites from their workstations, during business hours:
“Staff meeting is over. Thanks for sucking the life out of me–again.” [Brandon]
Ummm, hello, Brandon. Are you really that unhappy? Are you aware that your message can be read as: Brandon is a reactive, whiny drama-king who lacks the gumption to leave a job that sucks?
“Just hanging out here on Facebook – waiting for them to give me something to work on.” [Allison]
Really, Allison? Did you leave your brain at home this morning? I’d suggest you will find it hidden underneath that sack of ambition, which you also forgot to bring to work today.
And this now-infamous example from NextWeb.com of a young woman who was fired by her Facebook-friend-boss:
OMG I HATE MY JOB!!! My boss is a total pervvy wanker always making me do $hit stuff just to pi$$ me off!! WANKER!!
Obviously, she forgot that she had Friend’d her boss. Do take a moment and click over to read the boss’ response, which is classic!
The stories of so-called professionals getting fired, suspended, or disciplined as a result of what they posted, Tweeted, updated, chatted, or shared on social media sites are becoming more frequent and more outrageous. An article last Fall on Mashable, citing stats from a Proofpoint study, indicate that roughly 1 out of every 8 companies (12%) have fired an employee for reasons related to social networking. The rate of occurrence has doubled in a year’s time.
This is only going to worsen as GPS/location-based apps (like Foursquare and Brightkite) that run on our iPhones and Blackberries tell the world (and our employer) where we are.
Remember: In many cases, your phones are paid for by your company so it’s not hard to imagine the following exchange in the all-too-near future–
Boss: Dave, you weren’t really attending your aunt’s funeral yesterday, now were you?
Dave: What do you mean?
Boss: Well, unless they had the funeral at Wrigley Field, it looks like you enjoyed a Cubs double-header.
Dave (now perspiring): No way. I swear.
Boss (tossing a screen print at his soon-to-be fired employee): Dave, it’s all right here on the GPS report that we get from your Blackberry. And you might want to think about turning off Foursquare when you’re playing hooky – from your next job.
Do you know your company’s social media policy? Are employees allowed to spend time on sites like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn or YouTube while at work? Or are such practices forbidden?
We can complain about “Big Brother” policies by employers. We can cry about how it’s wrong for management to “spy” on us. But here’s what it all boils down to: when you are on company time, you are on the company dime. The employer makes the rules and, when you accept a job, you accept their rules. So don’t allow your social media activities to undermine your success. Be smart and be informed – or your next Tweet may be in search of a job!
A related video of a presentation by Skip Lineberg and Emily Bennington, co-authors of Effective Immediately: How to Fit In, Stand Out, and Move Up at Your First Real Job. The video is titled 7 Things Your Boss Wants You To Know – it briefly discusses the importance of personal branding, along with a myriad of other important workplace lessons:
Carrie Bowe said,
November 1, 2011 @ 2:55 pm
Thanks for liking the post, everydaybytay – looking forward to more discussion with you!
Hashtag Oops! Blunders in #PersonalBranding : #AshtonKutcher « Carrie-d Away said,
November 16, 2011 @ 3:38 pm
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