If you're a savvy social media user, keeping and maintaining multiple social media profiles on different platforms can be a herculean task. If you're looking for a strong presence on the internet, the credibility and authenticity of your social media profiles—play a big role.
Unfortunately, most users are least concerned with this aspect of social media. This often leads to confusion and ambiguity when connecting with others on various social media platforms. We'll learn how to create a secure and authentic social media profile to leave a lasting and positive impact on our connections.
The following guidelines will help you create social media profiles that are not only secure but also trustworthy when it comes to connecting with like-minded people who're not your acquaintances.
Let's get started!
Use Latest Front Headshot Photo for Avatars/Profiles
The most common problem associated with the authenticity of social media profiles is either very old or fake profile photos. This is one of the primary reasons that ruin your credibility and trustworthiness.
Start with uploading your front headshot image and that too a recent one for your profile image. This is the first step towards creating a strong and authentic social media profile.
And, make sure you change it at least every year or every 2 years. If you've gone through substantial physical changes, viz., growth of beard, illness, drastic change in hairstyle, make you replace your old profile photo with the new one.
And please, never use fake profile photos. It deceives your connections and can land you in legal trouble.
Use a Strong Password and Activate 2-Factor Authentication
Now, let's talk a bit about account security. The most difficult part of managing multiple social media profiles is keeping track of passwords for each one of them. Users often use common passwords for all of their profiles, and that, too, is a weak one that's easy to crack.
They generally opt for a common one to avoid the stress of repeatedly recalling forgotten passwords. It may save you time, but you're compromising your account security.
Use strong passwords for each of your social media accounts. Follow the best password management practices to ensure your accounts are safe from hackers and malicious users.
Avoid Filling-in False Profile Details at All Costs
Although this one is quite obvious still, it's worth discussing. Authentic profile information is the key to creating a trustworthy social media account.
Self-presentation in an authentic manner not only builds your online presence but also helps you create a unique identity among your followers.
If you want to hide some of the profile information from the public (for exp, birth date), there are ample options available in the account settings of every such platform. But, providing false details will only hurt your social endeavors in the long run.
The bottom line is to keep the information genuine and then hide specific parts (if required) of it through the account settings.
Engage Smartly and Consistently With Your Followers and Connections
It's not just about security and genuine information. Authenticity is earned with time through smart and consistent interactions and engagements with your followers and connections.
Add a human touch while interacting with your connections. If you're taking a long break, announce it beforehand. It'll prevent flooding of your account inbox with inquiries from your anxious followers.
Consistency is the key here. Your posting frequency should be more or less streamlined with time zones. People love when you interact with them at their most convenient time.
Conclusion
Social media presence is built through authentic profiles. It's directly connected with brand building, which creates trustworthiness among your followers and connections.
Pay special attention to your account's security. Strong passwords are the key to the same.
And last but not least, actively engage with your followers and follow a consistent posting schedule to keep your connections informed or entertained. The more you engage, the more you build your social media presence.