Your Facebook Profile – Should you be Personal or Professional? Friday, March 20th, 2009
It’s tricky isn’t it? If you’re too professional, you’re not taking advantage of the “social” aspect of Facebook by forming “friendships” with others. But if you’re too personal you risk damaging your image as a businessperson.
Here are some tips to help you “walk the fine line”:
Use your real name. People won’t trust you if you hide who you really are. So even if you’re using a “stage” or “nick” name like “Marketing Queen” make sure your real name is available.
Provide contact information. You can use your own discretion when it comes to cell phone numbers and mailing addresses. However, you should always list your website and an email address. This information not only helps establish your legitimacy, it also allows potential clients to contact you directly.
Use the right photo. If you want to play it safe go with a professional headshot. However, there’s nothing wrong with a nice candid shot, as long as your face is clearly visible and there aren’t distractions in the background. I know people who decide to accept or reject friend invitations solely based on the photograph so make sure it’s a good one!
Keep your profile interesting. Write your profile in the first person in a natural, conversational manner. Let your personality shine through because the whole point is to start building relationships. Get personal – but not too personal. If you go on and on about the mundane details of your life, people will lose interest so keep it simple.
Visit my profile on Facebook to learn more about me!
If you have a hard time writing about yourself you can ask a copywriter to help you with your Facebook profile. Just make sure you provide the writer with enough information so that the profile is personal. Nancy Marmolejo provides great social networking tips on her blog so check it out if you want more ideas.
