If you never dreamed of getting a tattoo in your life, think again. The digital age we live in is already giving us permanent tattoos of the digital kind. Futurist Juan Enriquez in his TED talk said that the digital sharing that we do online creates a permanent mark that is seen by everyone and will likely be around even after we die.
The words “permanent” and “seen by everyone” is what scares me as someone who is active online. And if you are the same as me, you should also feel the same way too. This permanent tattoo created by what you post and share online, especially on social media sites, is what makes up a big part of your online reputation.
WATCH: Your online life, permanent as a tattoo via TED official website
Why Should I Care About My Online Reputation?
If you think that only big brands and companies need to be concerned about their online reputation, that is not the case at all. Individuals will have a lot to gain in taking a closer look at their online reputation, from building it, to protecting it.
Why is your online reputation important? Because it is permanent and because it is available to anyone who knows how to look for it, especially potential employers and business partners. How other people perceive who you are according to your digital tattoo can spell the difference between getting that dream job or getting offered that project.
You start creating an online reputation as soon as you become active in social media networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and the like. This means the first post you made way back in college, for example, will count as part of it. If you still remember what those posts are and still feel confident that they will not affect your rep, good for you. Otherwise, you may need to take some practical steps to remedy that while you still can.
Check Your Online Rep, Now
Before everything else, go ahead and check what the Internet says about you. Search for information about yourself in Google, and see what it comes up with. It may surprise you that even your “Friends Only” will find itself in the search results.
In the next installment, we will give you practical tips on building an online reputation, especially if you are looking to participate in the growing world of online employment.
To read nest series, click here.