You may have noticed that over the last couple of weeks we have stopped letting people sign up for our current product.  Many of you have asked what’s going on, and wondered why you can no longer sign up for a free account.  No, our CEO has not been kidnapped by wolves- we’re actually in the process of preparing to launch a new, more powerful product that will help you get yourself to the top of search results!

Our loyal readers such as yourself can click here to receive early access to the system,  but for those of you who want to hear more about it, please keep reading and we’ll give you more information on how the new system works.

How Does It Work?

Our new system does three main things:

1. 1. Allows You to Submit or Build the Content You Want In Your Top Search Results: This includes Facebook, LinkedIn, a personal website, an article you were mentioned in, anything. You can also create a high ranking website right from our platform in a matter of seconds.
2. 2. Helps You Boost Your Results to the Top. Our system keeps track of these results and guides you through all the steps you can take to boost them to the top of search engines, so they can bury negative, irrelevant, or results that aren’t even about you.
3. 3. Track Your Results to Make Sure You Stay On The Top: Once you have your results on the top we keep track of them so that you always know where you stand.  Not only can you watch the results that you submitted to your BrandYourself account, but you will also receive alerts when new content about you shows up online.

And It’s Free: That’s right, our new product is going to be free. There will be premium services that you can upgrade to, but for many users, our basic service is all they’ll ever need to improve their reputation.

How Long Have We Been Working On This?

We’ve been keeping this under wraps for almost half of a year.  After we released our first product we quickly gained a lot of users, all of whom were very impressed by our ability to help them rank higher for their name.  After seeing how effective our old product was, we realized that we could create an even more powerful, far-reaching product.  We raised a Series A round of funding from some of the best Angels and Firms in our field, hired some of the best engineers in the business, and have been working on the new product ever since.

Who is Our New Product For?

We designed our product for anybody who wants a stronger presence in search engines.  This includes job applicants, small business owners, professional service providers, professional in the work place, entrepreneurs, and many more.  Since most people are going to be Googled by an interviewer before they even shake their interviewer’s hand, what shows up about you on search engines is your new first impression.  Google your name and see if you fall into any of these categories, BrandYourself can help:

• Negative Content Category: In today’s world, it is way too easy to have unflattering content on the web. All it takes is an unnoticed tagged photo, a disgruntled ex-colleague, employer, or spouse, or even a simple mistake you make that gets broadcasted online.  A negative result completely undermines your entire online reputation, but BrandYourself gives you the tools to salvage that by helping you replace negative content with positive content that pushes negative results further and further down.  84% of people never look past the first page of results, and even if they do, they’ve just been through pages of positive content.
• Low-ranking Content: Many people work very hard to create a strong online presence (they build a site, create a LinkedIn, etc) but when you Google their name none of it shows at the top of results!  It’s all irrelevant, somebody else with the same name, or worse, even negative.  They put in all this work, yet when someone searches for them, they find none of it. With BrandYourself, all you need to do is add that content to your dashboard, and our system walks you through the steps of boosting that content higher in search engines. We’ll keep track of it’s progress and alert you as it begins to rise!
• No Content At All: Quite simply, if you have nothing positive about you anywhere the web, you can’t expect to have favorable search results. Our system allows you to create a high ranking personal website in a matter of seconds. The system will also walk you through the process of creating other types of content like social media profiles, online directories and blog posts, then help you track them and boost them higher in your search results.

Early Access:

As I said above, we wanted to offer you, our readers, early access to our new system before the rest of the public.  If you’d like early access please click here and input your information and we’ll have one of our search engine reps contact you with information regarding the new system and how you can get personalized setup for your account as well.  If you have any questions, please feel free to send me an email: telwell@brand-yourself.com.  Oh and I almost forgot, here’s a sneak peek of the dashboard of our new system- please let us know what you think in the comments section below!

Stay tuned for our post that will be coming out soon on Lorenzo Von Matterhorn, it’s been fun writing it and I can’t wait for you to read it!

1.) There’s More To A Personal Brand Than Just Showing Up On Google

Having your websites, social networks, blogs, and anything else appear on Google is a fantastic sign that you’re on the fast track to personal branding success. However, as with most things in life it’s not so much about the quantity of your content as it is about the quality. For example, you can choose to buy a plain white t-shirt because it matches anything you’ll wear OR you can buy a yellow graphic tee. The yellow t-shirt will still match most outfits but most importantly it stands out next to the plain, bland white tee. It shows personality and it isn’t as safe. Taking risks online is just as important (if not more) than in real life. As times are changing try to steer away from saving your resume as a word document and instead go bold by creating an infographic, collage, or a t-shirt. More ideas here.

Looking confident online can be tricky especially since you don’t want to come off sounding like a know-it all snob. It’s important to sell yourself, but there’s a right and a wrong way to do this. Even after your personal brand gets more recognition, never directly call out a company or announce that you’re better than so and so. If someone criticized or bashed you online, keep calm and carry on. Online drama in unnecessary and is completely avoidable. That’s a sure fire way to tarnish your brand and will make gateway for others to call you out using social media. Sometimes constructive criticism can help us realize aspects of ourselves we’ve overlooked, which in turn can help us grow and improve.

2.) You Don’t Have A Competitive Advantage

What have you said or done recently that the average person hasn’t?  Was there a special event or moment in your life that made you come to a realization? Do you have a motive or specific reason for reaching your goals, dreams, aspirations?  Basically, what’s your story? It’s all about your delivery and how you say what’s important to you in particular. If you speak honestly and from the heart, your story should be original and genuine enough to portray that competitive advantage employers, recruiters, and customers look for. What makes you different and why should we choose YOU? Before someone buys what you have to say, you have to have something to offer that they can use and later invest time in. Give them a reason they can’t resist and impress them by thinking outside of the box.

3.) Your Online Presence Doesn’t Match Your Real-Life Personality

You follow bloggers, Twitterers, and colleagues. Your contact information is easily accessible, you help others in the industry, and you give people a reason to talk about your brand in a positive way. Your communication couldn’t get any better, right? Think again. Although it may not seem like an important branding strategy, consistency is just as important face-to-face as it is online. If you can go hours on end typing about your views and opinions on blogs, you shouldn’t get tongue tied doing the same in person. As verbal communication becomes less and less common with the growth of social media sites, it’s still very important to stay true to who you are. Before you write something about yourself online, ensure that it’s true, accurate, and something you’d want to share with someone upon meeting them for the first time. If you wouldn’t say it or act it in real-life, don’t share it online.

4.) You Don’t Stay Active Outside Of Your Blog/Work

It’s OK if your hobbies and interests stayed consistent for a couple of years, but have you picked up any new ones along the way? When was the last time you volunteered your time or took part in a service project to better your community? Giving up time and not expecting anything in return shows strength in character and portrays a team player. In the corporate world especially, it’s important to show that you work well in groups, enjoy staying active, and are aware of your environment. You may find that picking up a sport may be too difficult to fit into your busy schedule, but even finding time to explore a new talent, cooking a new meal, or picking up an interesting book may be enough to start a dialogue. This will make you more prone to sharing new things with others, it opens up new doors for conversation, and it’s a great way to meet new people who you wouldn’t otherwise. Every encounter can become an opportunity.

5.) You Haven’t Established Clear Goals Or Shown Signs Of Meeting Any Of Them Previously

How do you want to be perceived online? Who are you aiming at? What’s your target audience? Have your image goals been met? Before assuming that your personal brand is exactly where it needs to be, make sure you answered all your branding questions. It may be that you’re just to utilizing all the tools available to you. If someone wrote an article about you, did you post the link on your personal website and LinkedIn? Did you post any presentations, conference photos, or recordings to your sites?

There’s always room for improvement and you may find that there is no final end to successful personal branding because changes will always be made and things will not always go as planned so changes must be made. Show your knowledge and expertise as much as possible. If you got it, flaunt it.

Always remember that the greatest things in life have been done little by little, your brand will grow as long as you water it a bit each day.

For specific information on music and brands check out our other articles!

1. Reputation Advisor

Arguably one of the biggest online reputation management blogs out there, Reputation Advisor (written by Daniel Dessinger) plays host to strong, relevant, helpful content on everything reputation, brand, and marketing related.

See: Personal Reputation: Five More Tips to Manage your Rep Online

2. Hajj Flemings

Hajj is a well-known traveling speaker on personal and corporate branding, but his blog is also a valuable source of information for anyone looking to learn the how’s, why’s, what’s and where’s of branding themselves or their company.

See: Facebook Branded Usernames: The Search for Identity

3. Brett Borders

Brett has been on the internet since before the World Wide Web even existed. He writes for and runs many blogs, covering topics from search engine optimization to social media to viral marketing. Follow the link for his fantastic blog on online reputation management.

See: Maximizing Front Page Visibility for Your Primary Domain

4. Andy Beal

Another true pro at online reputation management, Andy is an analyst, consultant, speaker, author, and of course, blogger. His advice and opinions are canon in the online reputation world, so be sure to read it first-hand!

See: Google Reputation Management (Slideshow)

5. Kim Beasley

Kim is all about online branding. Her blog revolves around online marketing and making sure your brand is strongly represented in every facet of the internet.

See: Plan Your Facebook FanPage Posts with Post Planner

6. Gary Vaynerchuk

Gary made his start as an entrepreneur, and quickly rose to become one of the country’s most renowned and most followed wine reviewers. This experience led to an extraordinary proficience in social media and business, which is featured in his video blog.

7. Kerry Rego

Kerry’s consulting firm features an amazing blog about social media, marketing, and online reputation. All of her articles are original and provide a fresh take on topics that have been rehashed again and again.

See: Keeping Tabs on Your Photos Posted to Facebook

8. Dan Schawbel

For anything and everything personal branding related, Dan Schawbel is your man. His blog will help you take control of your brand and make sure nothing stops you on your way to success.

See: Three Reasons to Have a Personal Brand Advocate

9. Maria Duron

Maria’s philosophy is using strategy to get where you want to go in life. Her personal branding blog covers all the topics you need to be sure your brand is existent, positive, and well-represented.

See: Easy Steps on Linking Your Powerful Personal Brand

10. Lesley Everett

Lesley is a renowned brand coach, and knows just about all there is to know about personal branding. Her blog is full of interesting information and each one of her articles is unique and intriguing.

See: What we can Learn From John Galliano: Your Personal Brand is Never “Off-Duty”

11. Dave Saunders

In addition to technology consulting and PR, Dave shares a passion for personal branding that is truly outlined in his blog. His posts always find a way to include the latest social and technological developments as well as incorporating the very best of personal branding.

See: How Does Your Personal Brand Support Your Customer’s Experience?

12. Yinka Olaito

If you’re worried about brand exposure, Yinka Olaito’s blog will be of great help to you. He touches on getting yourself noticed by positioning yourself in the appropriate and most beneficial location.

See: Brand Communication: Why You Should Become a Good Storyteller

Fear- The Problem Small Businesses Don’t Talk About

Believe it or not, a lot of people are afraid of social media!  This is an understandable phobia for those that haven’t grown up with it- you’re talking to a large audience and could potentially set your company back if you don’t know what you’re doing.  Kerry continued that individuals are afraid of “doing [social media] wrong and looking silly online.  This fear of action causes them to not do it at all!”  One of the key things to remember is that you know your brand best!  When you’re building your brand online through social media just remember that most people don’t know what your brand is about yet, they develop a mental picture of your brand through their interactions with YOU.  If you make sure that you’re representing your company the way you want to then there is nothing to fear and much to gain!

Time Management- The Problem That We Love to Talk About

Kerry said that the first reason that small businesses give her as to why they can’t utilize social media is because they don’t have enough time.  Well let’s face it, none of us have enough time!  Small businesses especially have to realize that a social media presence is something you need to have these days.  Kerry said that this point really hit home with many of her clients when she would say something to the extent of, your return on investment from social media will be that your business will still be around in five years.

It was very interesting talking to Kerry and I enjoyed getting her views and opinions on social media and her experiences with them.  So just remember: you DO have time to utilize social media and social media is not something that you should be afraid of- fear of looking silly should not prevent you from trying!

June 21 is the Summer Solstice — a major celestial event which is the longest day and shortest night of the year.  Awed by the power of the sun, inventors, artists, scientists and great civilizations across the ages have celebrated the first day of summer on the solstice — the day that the sun rises highest in the sky.

Join us for a very special Summer Solstice Tech Meetup to celebrate that our tech stars are rising, too.  This is officially the startup season in upstate, with dynamic new ventures, entrepreneurs being formed, and great small businesses that are on a fast growth curve with new products and services.  This is your chance to gather around the metaphorical summer solstice fire, continue to build the tech community, and meetup with like-minded creative folks.

We’re pleased to co-sponsor this event with UNYStartups.com which is leading a startup revolution that is gaining momentum across upstate, and the Syracuse Innovators Guild.  We’ll be bringing together the best creative tech minds for a dynamic evening that features:

6 pm — Networking, fabulous food and music on the patio terrace outside the Tech Garden (rain plan inside the glass atrium lobby… but hey, it’s a sun holiday, so let’s hope for  a little cooperation here!)

7 pm –  Lighting Talks:  Two minute talks in two tracks, Technology and Innovation, designed to ignite and inspire.  The Technology track is being organized by the Syracuse Innovators Guild, and the Innovation track is being organized by UNYStartups.com.  Join some provocative threaded conversations for an hour of lightning ideas.

8 pm — Midsummer Pitchfest:  Back to the terrace for a solstice gathering. This is your opportunity to pitch your idea, your company … or whatever else you are looking for — talent, mentors, capital, connections.  And since it is the longest day of the year, we’ll pitch until we’re done.

To give a pitch, show up!

Summer solstice is the day to leverage the sun’s energy in celebration of the season of growing.  Can you think of a more opportune day to pitch?  It is a day of good fortune that foretells long, bright days ahead!

Most likely you were given job interview tips that include maintain eye contact, have a great handshake, and daunt a winning smile. While those are very important skills to entertain, here’s a TOP SECRET tip on how to make the most of the first 20 seconds of an interview from the book “The Definitive Book of Body Language” by Allan and Barbara Pease.

For your next interview, after you shake the interviewer’s hand give them 2-3 three seconds to give you a once over. Look down to adjust your seat, briefcase, or hang up your coat. Then comfortably look up.

Even in this day and age, male interviewers will check out a women’s overall presentation.  But female interviewers are even more more critical!  From a man’s hair to the back of his shoes… for every minor detail that a man forgot to fix, his female interviewer picked up on it.

Other Job Interview Tips:

1. Everyone’s In On It

From the time you enter the parking lot act as if everyone is in on the interview. When you meet the person at the front desk extend a confident handshake. If you are waiting on the interviewer, sit poised and patiently. The receptionist or secretary may seem like they are typing but they are watching. One employer we spoke to said they will ask their secretary for an assessment of the candidate. While you may debate its fairness the question is “Can that employer trust you as an employee when they are not around?”

2. Shaking Hands

This may seem redundant. However, there are different types of handshakes and ways you need to position yourself to deliver a powerful handshake. In fact, look at pictures of our world leaders and try to determine who is delivering the most powerful message. One way of gaining ground is to extend your hand while walking towards the other person. Then plant your feet firmly and slightly apart while matching their level of firmness.

3. Don’t hover

When asked to enter someone’s office, don’t hover in the doorway or softly apply a knock-knock gesture. You were invited in so walk in with confidence. Do not break your stride.

The bottom line, every part of your presentation for the interview has to be well planned and put together. If allowing the interviewer(s) time to give you the once over seems disturbing, remember interviewers are people too and 65% (number closely varies) of communication is non-verbal presentation. As for men… please shine your shoes both front and back! Your next job may depend on this.

For more job interview tips have a look at these articles: Breeze Through Your Next Phone Interview, 8 Tips for Nailing Your Job Interview, and Secrets to Securing a Job After Graduation.

What is +1?

When I asked Peggy how job applicants can stand out from the crowd when applying for jobs, I expected her to say something about social media and how job-seekers should control what information is available online about them and utilize their networks to leverage more connections.  Instead she hit me with this simple, yet powerful gem, “Be +1″.  I thought she meant Google’s new “+1″ feature at first, but then she explained what she was referring to and it all made sense.

She said that the job seekers need to invest in themselves, not only financially but with their time as well.  The applicant who spends hours tweaking their resume so that it’s perfect is going to get the interview above someone who doesen’t.  And the applicant who spends more time preparing for an interview is going to handle any question that is thrown at them better than someone who isn’t prepared.  That’s where Peggy comes in, she helps you get the most out of the time you spend becoming +1.  Here is a video that Peggy uses to help applicants ask the right questions at a job interview:

What About Social Media?

We at Brand Yourself think that the best social networks for our customers are Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.  Having a presence on these networks can help people create, and maintain their online reputation.  Peggy agrees with us about Facebook and LinkedIn, but thinks that Twitter can sometimes be a distraction to the job seeker and instead advocates YouTube.  This is because YouTube is a hub of information for many things relevant to the job seeker: key players in every industry, interview and resume tips, videos from the company that you’re trying to get hired, et cetera.  Once she explained everything, I had to agree that YouTube is one of the best places that a job seeker can go to access new and appropriate information.

How Can I Become +1?

Aside from working hard to constantly better yourself, Peggy had one other word of advice- read all the time.  Read books that are suitable for the industry you want to enter, read books that are pertinent to the job search, and read those books over again until the information is part of you.  Peggy (who says that she buys tons of books on Amazon, and is certain that there is at least one staff member there dedicated to keeping track of what she reads) says that she has four key books that she makes a key to read once every quarter.  This way you can embody the information and keep it fresh in your mind.

I truly enjoyed talking with Peggy and learned a lot of good things from her.  If you’re at all thinking about entering the “job-search world” in the future I would highly advise you to check out her site: Career Confidential.

And for more tips while job seeking don’t forget to have a look at these great blog articles: How To Write a Bio, Got an Interview but No Job?, and Using Social Media for a Job Search.

Trevor Elwell is a Syracuse University Graduate from the Bandier Program for the Music Industry and Psychology program.  He is now the Customer Happiness Manager at Brand Yourself.  You can follow him on the Brand Yourself Twitter @BrandYourself or @T_Elwell, and you can get more information at www.trevorelwell.com.

Be Charming

If you’ve seen any of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, it is quite clear Captain Jack is quite the ladies’ man. Could it be his incredible good looks? The swagger? His exceptionally amazing luck in sticky situations? Whatever it may be, though Jack is often in trouble, he has no problems gaining a reputation and making new friends. Well, most of you probably aren’t pirates–at least not full time–so following his lead entirely won’t get you very far. But there are still a few good lessons learned from his presence.

Even if your company isn’t exactly riveting to talk about (take Dunder Mifflin for example) what you say in your videos has to be exciting and engaging. Work up a script before hand if necessary. Take a crack at some humor. Most importantly, smile, smile, smile! If you seem bored with your job or unpersonable, people will simply close out of your video. Future videos will go unwatched or you may become the recipient of some hateful comments. Go in with a smile and charm the audience’s pants off.

Be Honest

Captain Jack Sparrow is known for twisting words, manipulating those around him and doing whatever possible to bring himself some benefit. His scheming works because he is a pirate. Since you are not a pirate, you should stick to the idea of honesty as the best policy. Lying about your company or yourself may seem like a good idea to get ahead, but the truth always has a way of revealing itself. You can spice up the truth, by telling an anecdote, putting a comedic spin on it, or even trying out some filmography and make a mini movie. But don’t lie intentionally ever. Your followers can handle the truth.

Be Daring

No pirate could survive without taking some chances here and there. While you don’t have to be quite as bold, to have a successful YouTube branch of your brand you have to be willing to put yourself out there a bit. At first, you may feel a bit awkward in front of the camera and unsure of what you really want your channel to do for you. That’s ok, as long as you don’t sit there without a shirt on or say something risque. Yes, be a risk taker, no don’t take chances that will harm your online brand. With some time and more videos, you’ll find it will become easier for you to talk to your followers about your work and brand without getting so tongue tied or feeling awkward. But you have to be willing to take that first jump into the YouTube world. So put on a smile and practice in front of the camera!

Just Be Yourself

This advice pops up in just about every help article ever, but that doesn’t make it any less true! You may find a lot of fault in him, but Jack Sparrow is always true to his pirate-self. If you’re not quite as outgoing as him, don’t sweat it. If you think you’re not up to par with his looks, well who is? Don’t compare yourself to others on YouTube; it will only bring up excuses for you to not try expanding your brand. Your videos don’t have to be Hollywood quality. As long as you’re proud of the finished product and feel like it does you and/or your company justice, that’s the most important goal.

If you don’t feel comfortable in front of the camera, you can still use YouTube for your brand. IMovie and other programs are available to easily make videos of just words and images with a variety of different themes. Whether it’s you or some coworkers or text doing the talking, YouTube is a viable tool for everyone’s online brand that shouldn’t go forgotten. Savvy?

Interested in more information about creating a YouTube presence?  Here are some more blog articles that you might be interested in: Youtube: Social Media Marketing Through Video, Youtube and Your Personal Brand.

And with that solemn farewell – Oprah Winfrey gracefully headed toward back stage, soaked in the final moments with her studio audience on their feet – and disappeared. Much will be said, written and debated about Oprah, The Oprah Effect, her legacy, her place as a media icon and her role as an ambassador to women and children around the globe.

A mere 24 hours after the end of her 4,561st show, while the tissues are still tear-soaked and before the blogosphere begins to dissect her many heartfelt references to G-O-D throughout the episode…I want to talk about the personal branding lessons Oprah has and will continue to teach us:

1. Because Running Shoes and Laundry Detergent Don’t Have Heartbeats

For all the things Tom Peter’s 1997 breakthrough article in Fast Company magazine has taught us about the concept of personal branding ourselves like the world’s global products; at the end of the day there are characteristics that only we humans possess. Embrace these unique traits and showcase them as part of your brand.

Whether it’s integrity, compassion, leadership or some other emotion – market these qualities the same way a Chief Marketing Officer may promote ‘Fresher Scent’ or “More Shock Absorption”. People do business with people, not products. It is perfectly rational to include a human touch as a significant element of your personal brand. Define Who You Are.

2. Imposters Beware: Your Brand Must Be Inextricably Tied To YOU

The elements that comprise your personal brand should be so intertwined with who you are as a human being that there is NO WAY anyone else can claim that they are better at your brand than you are.

Oprah has outshone well-intentioned imitators and outright copy cats over the years. You try doing something (well) for twenty-five consecutive years – run an insurance business, or climb the corporate ladder – and you too will run into your fair share of imitators. People will see your success and try to pass off your formula as their own (this never works of course because they’ve overlooked the time and energy you’ve devoted to your craft and those lessons learned along the way).

Instead of the black and orange “Beware of Dog” sign created to ward off intruders, having a strong personal brand is like having a sign that reads: “Beware of Authenticity”. Your personal brand must be based on characteristics that are so intrinsic to your DNA that duplication is impossible. It’s like ‘ham’ without the ‘burger’ you just can’t separate the two!

Now let me be clear, you can’t simply concoct a personal brand. It can’t be vague or aspirational – of course we’d all love to be known as someone who has A-list friends and thousands of Twitter followers. Instead, your brand must have at its foundation previously demonstrated accomplishments. Concrete examples of what you’ve done and what problems you’ve solved that you can point to are what informs your brand. Develop a Tangible Brand.

3. A Great Brand Can Be Centered On People Other Than Yourself

What should you know about ‘O’? That she created a name for herself by taking an interest in knowing the names and stories of common ordinary people the world over. There are many who bemoan the concept of personal branding and believe that it is creating even more selfish behavior as our society is already drowning in “sea of ME’s”.

Let me be the first to remind you that there are countless people whose personal brand is centered on adding value to those other than themselves. Prime example: Oprah Winfrey. Oprah masterfully demonstrates how one person can become well known, well respected, talked about and (let’s be real) filthy rich by caring about complete strangers. During the monologue that was her farewell episode, Oprah said, “Gratitude is the single greatest treasure I will take with me from this whole experience.” Her heart’s desire to improve the lives of her guests, her studio audiences and the entire world (while remaining accessible and humble) is at the very core of what she stands for – her personal brand.

Remember, there is nothing wrong with recognizing that your authenticity (your brand) includes helping others. In fact, I’ll go as far as to say it SHOULD in some way do just that – help others. Regardless of whether you’ve seen every episode or don’t even know what channel the Oprah Winfrey Show appears – one thing you do know is that her brand will long outlive her 25 years as a talk show host. Class dismissed.

You can find Jasmin on LinkedIn or follow her on Twitter @JFRENCHbranding

1. Define Yourself.  Create a personal brand statement.  A couple of sentences that sum up who you are and how you want others to perceive you.  Then use this as a guide for your future online activities.  Pursue those activities and interactions that support your brand statement to ensure that your message stays on topic.

2. Stay on Message.  Consistency is essential when it comes to defending your personal brand.  Is there a cohesiveness to your various online profiles, or are you sending out conflicting messages about yourself?  Is there a purpose behind your social media activities?  Presenting a clear, unified picture across all of your social media properties will help reinforce how others perceive you.

3. Be Authentic. You have a personality and letting it shine through is a good thing; it’s often the reason people engage in social media in the first place, but this one is tricky.   It can be challenging to find ways to reveal the authentic you without going off-message, or worse, wiping out all of the equity you’ve worked so hard to build into your brand.  Before you add any content to your profile(s), be it a photo, a comment, a post, etc. consider if it supports your personal brand statement.  Post content that is reinforcing or at the very least is innocuous.  If you are unsure how the content supports your narrative, or you can envision how the content might be off-message, reconsider posting it.

4. Engage Your Supporters. While there’s a danger of spreading yourself too thin across social media properties, make sure that you are an active participant on your chosen sites.  Every post or interaction is another opportunity to position yourself with your audience – take advantage.  In addition, participate in other networks and online communities where people who share a similar personal brand are interacting.  Engaging with like minded individuals is an excellent way to reinforce the perceptions of others.

5. Be Vigilant. Google yourself.  Your name appears in search engines and on social networks – make sure you’re never surprised by the results.  While positive mentions and interactions can be beneficial, negative feedback or unseemly content can be devastating to your online reputation, particularly when hiring managers and recruiters are involved.  The viral nature of social networks means that positive perceptions can go negative in an instant.  Stay on the offensive by continually monitoring, adapting and optimizing your online presence.

Remember, sometimes the greatest defense is having a good offense.

Huntington Cudahy is the founder of Revelry Group a consulting firm that specializes in social media, mobile and event marketing strategies.  Prior to his consulting business, Mr. Cudahy was a promoter in the music industry, producing and marketing events for such names as John Mayer, Eminem, Maroon 5, Rihanna and Jay Z.  You can follow Huntington Cudahy on Twitter @hcudahy or on LinkedIn as well.