Managing Your Online Reputation
September 28, 2009
Say what you will about not joining Facebook, it's almost impossible these days to have no web presence. Even Internet-phobic teachers are coming up with hits when they Google their names.
"If you're in your early 20s, you grew up in an online world," says Tamar Weinberg, the 28-year-old author of The New Community Rules: Marketing on the Social Web, and the popular technology blog technipedia.com. "It's unheard of for today's newest teachers to not have a single social profile."
Weinberg, a freelance writer who specializes in social media and consulting, says it's better to have a functioning online reputation than none at all.
The meteoric rise of social networking websites such as Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter have added new depth to the words "damage control," but not all online networking sites are built around photo-sharing and status updates. Popular business sites, such as LinkedIn and Plaxo are not only useful ways to pad your Rolodex, they're also excellent ways to highlight your credentials.
"It's definitely better to have a robust reputation," says Weinberg. "The principal can get to know you better, see what you're about, and of course, find out if you're the best person for the job. Blogs can also go a long way."
It takes web savvy and common sense to craft a vibrant, but clean online presence. According to Weinberg, the best way to manage your online reputation is to stay active and join reputable sites where you maintain control of your profile information.
Use these sites to provide useful feedback and suggestions"after all, online communities were created to facilitate meaningful connections between strangers.
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