Maximize Your Social Media Profile

Nowadays nearly everyone in the entire country, maybe even the world, has at least one form of social media. This includes the more conventional sites: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, etc., as well as other sites  such as: YouTube, LinkedIn, or Google+. Although these sites cover a broad range of topics, they all require the same essential elements to ensure they are creating a positive image for whoever is using the site. It doesn't matter if you are a freshman in high school or a multi-billion-dollar organization, the way people perceive you on social media is often the only perception they are exposed to. What you post is the general public’s only information about you, it is important that you maximize these public perceptions of you or your organization.

Let's say you are designing a Twitter profile that future employers will have access to. Do you really want your avatar to be a picture of you chugging a beer at a party? Absolutely not. Your avatar is your first impression to the entire world. Having a professional headshot taken is the best way to ensure you have an avatar that gives the best impressions possible to your future boss. In this picture you should be wearing business professional attire, make sure your hair is nice and neat, and it is important that in no way does your smile appear fake or forced. If smiling isn't your forte, it is perfectly acceptable to not have smile in your picture, just make sure that your facial expression is still warm and inviting. It should give a glimpse of your personality to the employer.

Moving on to your cover photo, this is something that shouldn't just be picked willy-nilly. The cover photo should "capture the essence of the entire company" in the words of Dr. Aggie. It is also important to remember that the cover photo should in no way take attention away from the avatar. For example, if you are in college and trying to get an internship you might use your college or university's logo as the cover picture. Not only does it make it easy for the employer to see where you attend school, but it also shows that you take pride in being part of that organization. While your avatar may be your first impression, the cover photo is just as important when it comes to creating a positive image on social media.

Making a conscious effort in avatar and cover photo selection is the easiest way to jumpstart your public image maximization. Most of the time someone searches a new profile for the first time, the first thing they look at is the avatar. Within fractions of a second after that, they are already scanning the cover photo. Avatars and cover photos are becoming the business cards of the 21st century and these two seemingly menial pictures can actually be the difference between landing your dream job and working at Chick-fil-A the rest of your life.