For millennials, we have been told: “Think about your digital footprint. What does it say about you?” We were asked this in high school, and we are continually forced to think about what our Facebook or our Twitter feed is saying about us and if we are responsible and professional enough to hire.
It wasn’t until recently did I truly start thinking about this “digital footprint” or online presence/brand, and it was all due to a class I am currently taking at Hastings College.
Based on a quick Google search, I found that my online presence really isn’t too bad. It shows that I have an up-and-running LinkedIn account, I really enjoy Pinterest, and I write for Odyssey. In part, my presence shows, at least to an extent, that I write regularly, and that I enjoy writing.
Though I do want to convey that I enjoy writing, and I practice it regularly, I still feel I should work on my online brand a little more. As I browse through my Pinterest or Facebook or Twitter, I notice that I am not focused on what I’m most passionate about. I kind of run all over with what I like and dislike. To better my online presence, I know I need to go through my social media accounts and try to focus them more. There needs to be more emphasis on the writing and editing that I enjoy doing. I also need to work on posting more frequently about my passions as well.
There is a man, Miller, who wrote about Web marketing and online presence. He said a few things that stuck out to me. One was that, to get more attention for your sites and blogs, it would be wise to start ads with search engines. I understand the importance of this, but mostly for those who are selling products, or for those who have a very common name (ie. John Smith). However, I am a broke college student and not really in the right place to advertise myself more (yet).
Miller also said that a blogger should post frequently, as readers will not want to revisit a site if it only holds the same posts. Though I fully plan on completing blog posts frequently, I need to work on posting more frequently (and more accurately) on my social media sites.
I also remember him talking about how other media (such as videos instead of just text) could be beneficial to a blogger or a company. Even though I don’t really know much about videos or how to put them together professionally, I know this is an important aspect for a blogger or a company. As I have mentioned in a previous post, reading is not dead. However, many people on social media today would much rather watch a 30-second video than read 300+ words. Videos and pictures are important in order to gain attention and views.
Overall, I believe online brands should be professional and each site should hold a common core element, but be varied with multimedia.
Alexandria Kreikemeier 