Your reputation online matters

Opportunity. Many people need to respond to consumer needs thus creating an opportunity for job seekers. Photo by Abubaker Lubowa

What you need to know:

  • Be steadfast. Do not throw caution in the air. Protect your reputation and manage it well enough. Do not let slip-ups, especially on social media and online, spoil it for you.
  • Be informed: Before you post, ensure that you have studied the atmosphere, conducted research and the people you are communicating to are indeed interested.
    The above, Magombe says, makes a point of reference and an avenue through which you will draw respect.
  • Avoid controversy: While giving feedback, refrain from needless hullabaloo, and always try to write flawless diction devoid of jargon and abusive lingual to be taken serious.
    Even when chatting about out controversial issues, ensure that the feedback in comments or replies is principally positive.

Online publishing and social media have gained serious authority and everyone or organisation is using them to gain relevancy.
Whereas some people abuse these platforms, career experts say online and social media present employees and companies a great opportunity to build their profiles and reputation or image.
Among all media innovations, social media and online publishing have been the best tools of providing feedback because they present no barred reactions not only from contemporaries but from people you don’t know.
However, managing online reputation, according to Rogers Barigayomwe, a management consultant, is important and should be used as a serous marketing tool for companies and individuals.
“With social media accounts and online review sites, it is easy to receive both positive and negative feedback,” he says, adding that this can in channel that gives you or the company direction through which you can improve and make things better.
Reputation is built over time, therefore, as an employee improve yourself by writing blogs and sharing information on different social media platforms as well as making constant updates as a company on recognised social media platforms.
However, shared information must be insightful and informative and must be devoid of errors and misleading material.
Platforms such Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn provide a wide audience therefore, according to Yasin Magombe, a consultant must be efficiently and progressively utilised.
However, when building or sustaining your reputation as an employee you must make a clear distinction between you and your company because, according to Magombe, many people out there fail to separate the two, especially in the event of controversies.
“Putting a disclaimer doesn’t cost a thing. If you know you are not commenting on behalf of your employer put a disclaimer because not everyone will be happy with what you are saying,” he says, noting that this will help in case of any eventuality.
But beyond this, you must ensure that whatever you post is relevant and must be sustained.
Posting everything you land on, according to Magombe, is a bit detrimental and you risk being taken for granted or landing in trouble with your employers because as an employee your bosses will take interest in monitoring what you write because in a way it might drag in the company.
Therefore, as career experts might advise, do not throw caution through the window if you are not prepared for an open confrontation.

key Point
Managing new channels. Building a brand takes time but destroying it takes just or less than a minute. With the advent of social media, people have been tempted to do outrageous things. Do not be caught between. Stay away from things that might damage your reputation.

building image online

• Be informed
Before you post, ensure that you have studied the atmosphere, conducted research and the people you are communicating to are indeed interested.
The above, Magombe says, makes a point of reference and an avenue through which you will draw respect.
• Avoid controversy
While giving feedback, refrain from needless hullabaloo, and always try to write flawless diction devoid of jargon and abusive lingual to be taken serious.
Even when chatting about out controversial issues, ensure that the feedback in comments or replies is principally positive.
• Be available online
Staying available will afford you an opportunity to “listen to what people say about your opinions, according to Samson Tusiime, the Team Leader at Veritas Interactive.
“Besides, apologise when necessary. Ignoring queries only implies you do not value your followers,” he says.
• Have meaningful posts
Whether they are about trending or development topics, your posts should be truthful and meaningful.
Also, avoid re-echoing what others have posted unless you have new information.
• Be honest and consistent
You ought to be transparent, consistent and honest. Avoids spreading contradictory messages which might make people start asking questions about you.
• Get off your high horse
An integral part of building reputation is understanding that it is not all about you. Instead, you need to spend a great deal of time recognising the effort of others.
In other words, your followers need to understand that you care about them too.
• Avoid being bossy
When building online reputation, you have to be willing to let people share and talk about you and your content. Be ready to deal with negative comments about you or your brand.
“Remember, your reputation could be your biggest asset. So, use social media to shape it positively other than taint it,” Barigayomwe notes.

Advice
Be mindful. The damage that social media can cause has no limits. Therefore be mindful of what you communicate as it has the potential to damage your reputation.