Branding – How do YOU ​​appear on Facebook?

Arriving late to the party, many small and medium businesses are discovering Facebook as a tool to promote and position themselves. In recent years, the term “branding” has been a hot commercial topic, created by media hype around social media advertising. But I never fully understood the term ‘branding’, its implications and practice, until I started actively participating, reading and writing on my Facebook timeline.

My main reason for exposing myself to the world of Facebook was simply to understand how it works. I wanted to see if there was any merit to using Facebook, as more than a billion users worldwide were doing. Whether I connected with my classmates from over 30 years ago or not was further from my mind. What I did discover was that Facebook is not only a powerful branding tool for businesses, but also how people unknowingly use it to create a personal brand that can come back to haunt them.

There were a lot of things I didn’t know about Facebook. But by liking a few people I knew, a few more from my club, and classmates from my hometown, I began to build a repertoire of real-time news. It wasn’t more than a year of regular weekly readings that the light finally came on for me. Clear as day, I realized how several of my “friends” have stereotyped, said “branded” themselves, and NOT in a good way. I saw a pattern in their posts, which I could easily have used to describe or introduce them, if I was ever asked. I started tagging them and thinking about them, specifically how often and what they were posting on their timeline. They managed to “brand” themselves.

I began to detect a pattern consistent with many. Is that how I want to be described or thought of? There was a person who posted only family photos of events with his grandchildren. This is commendable, but perhaps on a closed family Facebook subpage; it is not your general list of friends. There was one person who posted photos that made me wonder, “What am I missing here? Why is this image being broadcast? It’s just an image!” All he showed was that they knew how to take a photo and how to post on Facebook. Nice, I thought. They have a heartbeat. There was the friend who spoke of deep inner feelings. Sure; maybe just thinking out loud, but maybe not posting in words. People will feel that you are emotionally unstable and unable to deal with everyday life. Then there was the world traveler who posted photos daily from all over the world. It’s obviously not current and just based on years spent on vacation. Then there was the person who posts 10 times a day. Well, that person is clearly lifeless and needs constant attention. Some may look like activists. That’s when I discovered that I can unfollow them without leaving them on my friends list. And believe me, I did.

So before you write to your timeline and then click POST, ask yourself the following 3 questions.

1) What is the purpose of my publication?

Do you hope to inspire, inform, motivate, instigate, or call someone to action? Are you sharing an experience with an image in the hope of getting feedback from others? Or are you just letting off steam, maybe getting on a podium and ranting about an incident that happened to you? Do you expect support or sympathy? If you’re typing in the “heat of the moment” and saturated with emotions like anger or resentment, then close your laptop and go for a brisk walk or other physical activity. Yes, writing can be very good therapy, so keep writing, but do it in your personal journal, not on your Facebook timeline. No one is interested in reading your thoughts repeatedly.

2) Am I comfortable with others repeating my attached comments on my behalf?

This is more in line with the “gossip session” or cold water talk, when others may talk about you behind your back. We can’t control gossip about us, so make sure it’s gossip you feel comfortable spreading about you. Listening to his comments in the third person can make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.

3) If this was my last post, would I like to be remembered by it?

Think about the legacy. What do you want to leave behind for others or for society in general? In what light would you like others to talk about you?

I know I said 3, but here’s the bonus question;

4) Does my publication have any value?

Sometimes we get carried away and when others look at our post, they wonder, “So what? Why are you telling me this?” This is more along the lines of “What’s in it for me?” Question. If not, then write your post so that it is of value to others.

Today, more than ever, most people who read something are looking for specific details that add value, knowledge or absolute riches. They just don’t want to be an audience, giving you their precious time, the aspiring author who’s going to write the next bestseller that’s going to become the number 1 movie of the year. Otherwise, your post is just “noise” and your contacts may not only “unfollow” you, but also unfriend you entirely.

Remember, when you post on Facebook, you are speaking to the world. Statements will never be retracted or removed. Your post may even proliferate and torment you with someone reposting on other social networks. Even if it is removed, people who already read your post may remember it for the lasting impression it made on them. People can make up their minds about you very quickly and stereotype you as an activist, anti-whatever, and just plain dangerous to be around. Don’t place yourself in the “court of public opinion.” Also, some potential employers hire social media consultants to compile a social media profile of you. Seeing photos of you volunteering your time with a worthy charity in a developing country is a good thing. But the photos of you at the bar on the weekends, well, not so much.

Facebook is a powerful social networking tool. It levels the playing field between a humble individual and a multi-million dollar company. Done right, you can project as well as the big companies. Use it to show your strengths, ambitions and achievements. Use it to inspire and rally others to your cause. Use it to stay connected. Use it to develop and advertise “your brand”. I hope that my experience with Facebook and the tips above help you to “brand” yourself in the best possible way. As a test, you can connect with me on Facebook and practice what I shared above.