Why is it important to have digital presence?

Today, individuals and organizations need to have digital presence; having a digital presence simply means that you occupy space online. Few years’ back digital presence meant an organization having its own website. Today most of the individual have digital presence because of boom in social media. Connectivity is the mantra. The question is does your online presence matter? If you run a google search of yourself, do you see anything written about you? If yes, what do you see? Is it good? Is it something wicked? Whatever the result be, it is the reputation you have online. Your online reputation is your brand. And your brand is what employers and professional bodies are seeing before you even step into the room for an interview. Today, employers don’t go by what your resume mentions, they check your digital presence and that’s one strong barometer they depend on. That’s the first impression they make about you, even before meeting you.

With the constant and rapid advancement of technology in all industries, online has begun to play an increasingly larger role in the world of business, and it is one of the most vital element that companies look at their current digital presence. Similarly for individuals also, it is a vital element in their professional and personal life. Our world has changed vividly in only a few decades. Organizations and people previously accustomed to face-to-face meetings, pencils, and paper have migrated to predominantly digital communications. Digital presence also portrays an individual’s social intelligence.

Our personal and professional lives are interweaved in the digital world. One must ask himself/herself: what kind of personal or professional brand he/she wants to establish. For establishing the kind of brand, choice of worlds, choice of activities, choice of photographs and choice of acquaintances all need to be given a thought. These are just some of the things one needs to consider while living and working online.

When it comes to social media and your career, one of the most important things you can do is make sure that your online profiles are engaging and specialized, particularly with LinkedIn. The detailing of your job history, your job related skills, your qualifications, your achievements everything needs to be mentioned. And, yes, let them be backed by some endorsements relating to your career accomplishments. Remember, to make sure your name and snaps are consistent across all of your social media profiles. That way, whenever potential employers or professional bodies come into contact with your accounts, you will be more easily identified by them. If possible, include keywords related to your industry, as that may make it more likely that you will come up in search results for recruiters.

If possible, make social media networking part of your daily activity. Follow companies in your industry you are related to on Twitter, LinkedIn or Facebook. You will be notified about open positions, company news and other relevant info.  You may also get the opportunity to interact with major players, if you re-tweet or share their posts. Be smart in establishing relationships with the right people, even without having to meet with them directly. That’s the best part of digital relationship! We rarely meet them in person.

Position yourself as a thought leader on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn by helping others make connections through introductions, and sharing content that is insightful and applicable to your industry. People appreciate interacting with contacts who give, rather than just take. Yes, and this is a fact. Digital presence showcases your personality. It is advisable to keep many things under the wrap, be as professional as you can on your social media accounts. The world out there wants pleasant and affable personalities. Employers are always looking for people who’d fit the delineated profiles and fit in their team. So use your imaginations and ideas, your soft skills to be digitally present. Share your view points, share articles, videos, jokes, snaps, your hobbies, interests or other aspects of your personal life. Be choosy about what part of your private life needs to be public.

Don’t put false things to boost your presence, show the real you. You get easily caught if you’re put false things about you.  Bragging makes you seem less impressive, not more impressive. If you are doing something worth bragging about, others will brag for you. When people aren’t ‘real’ the world ignores them. So post the ‘true’ you.

We are living in a digital world, and my dear friends, no matter how you look at it, every day more and more people around the globe are becoming better connected to the internet. So don’t try to escape it.