With data breaches and online stalkers, it’s understandable you might want to be untraceable online. However, if you’re trying to build your brand, you can’t skip having some information about yourself online especially on social media. Why? If no one knows who you are they can’t trust you and won’t listen to you. Consequently, you need to consider relaxing your need for privacy on social media if you want to build a successful brand.

Since the first thing most people do when they hear about someone is to look them up on Google, having a public social media profile is non-negotiable. While people looking you up may sound creepy, most of them mean no harm. They just want to be sure you’re a real person before they warm up to you. And If you don’t have a website, they can’t find out much if your social media profile is private.Thinking about how to find the balance between being visible online, building a brand and maintaining your privacy?

Here are a few things you can do today.

• Have A Separate Public Profile: you may not want to accept everyone as a friend on social media, you also don’t want to seem unapproachable or miss out on connecting with amazing people online. So, create a public profile that people can connect with you on. This way, your private life is kept private. And people see only what you want them to see.
• Bio: Write a brief bio that summarizes what you do and include it in your social media profile. If you have a website, include the link to your bio so that people can click to learn more about you.
• Set Your Posts To Public: Once you have a public profile, make your posts public. When your post is public, people can share them. Also, public posts have the potential to increase your sphere of influence and leads to a greater possibility of you being found online.
• Keep Out Your Dirty Laundry: Delete all pictures or comments that don’t represent you well. Yeap, you looking drunk at your friend’s party might be hilarious but it does nothing for your brand. Post only content that will help build your brand.
• Create Amazing Content: While the internet is filled with lots of information, the world needs your unique perspective. So, start writing educative and engaging content that will attract your target audience and help build your status as a thought leader.

Once you follow these steps, you’ll be on your way to staying safe online while building your brand. Got any questions or tips for staying safe online while building a business? Let us know in the comment section!How To Protect Your Privacy Online While Building Your Brand.

Got any questions or tips for staying safe online while building a business? Let us know in the comment section! Image Credit: Online Privacy ©Flickr (mikemacmarketing)   

Photo by Bernard Hermant on Unsplash

Content Developer: Seun Akinlotan || Editor: Bisi Adewusi

Have you any online networking tips you’d like to share? Kindly send us an email @ info@stemhubfoundation.com!