The Content Engine – from Kim Funk Creative

5 things you can do today to polish your personal brand online

We’re now 20+ years into the digital revolution. Which means, we show up digitally every day. 

We text.

We email.

We post to social media.

We write blogs and upload videos.

Each one of these instances makes a lasting impression. Faux pas are revisited over and over again. And not just in your head. Your off-color post can be shared widely. Even if you have your settings restricted.

You send an email before reading it all the way through.

You text someone and wonder why you ever said that.

Two hours after posting about a dinner you made last night, you find out you’ve offended EVERYONE in your circle. How were you to know about the subtext associated with the eggplant emoji? You really did make the most delicious eggplant parmesan last night…

You add someone to a group chat who doesn’t belong there. And then you start talking about them.

The brave new digital world comes with a brave new set of rules to understand and follow. And few cheat sheets to reference so I thought, “Why not create one?” Here are a few things you can do to make your digital communications more polite and polished.

Keep work emails formal.

Although it’s a newer form of communication, email tone should be professional and adhere to traditional grammar rules. Your email audience may have started their career with hand-written memos and professional business letters. While emails don’t need to be as formal as that, write them with polish and professionalism.

Keeping things formal demonstrates understanding and respect for an audience you don’t know well. Once you have a relationship with someone over email, you can tweak things to be less formal. But follow their lead – especially if they’re older than you – even if they aren’t your superior in title.

Be mindful of who you add to the group chat.

If you are texting in a group chat, make triple sure everyone in the chat should hear your message. Nothing is more awkward than learning you said something negative about someone in the group chat after the fact.

Understand emoji subtext.

Later Millennials and Gen-Z have assigned double meanings to emojis like the eggplant. For the love of God, research meanings before adding emojis to your texts and social media. On the one hand, you find new and creative ways to use emojis. More importantly, you’ll understand why NOT to use the eggplant or the peach.

Think before commenting.

Did someone just post a point you vehemently oppose on their Facebook page? Are you just opposed to a certain politician in general? Think before you comment. Understand your audience. Would you want someone to say that to you? Are you trying to start a conversation or just make your voice heard?

How often are you doing this?

Do you really want to be known as the angry person online?

Who wants to talk to the online complainer at the next cocktail party or neighborhood barbecue? Not me!

Unless you’re talking, turn your microphone off in virtual meetings (but keep your camera on whenever possible).

No one wants to hear your dog bark, the TV blaring in the background, or your phone pinging. Remove distractions before the meeting starts so you and everyone else can stay on topic.

But…have your camera on, if you can. Of course, there will be days when you’re not camera-ready or mass chaos is happening around you. And that’s ok. Make an effort to show up on camera whenever you can. Get comfortable with it. Seeing faces gives others in the meeting a chance to read body language. 

And if you’re a leader, make sure your virtual team knows they can show up how they want. You’re working. It’s a team meeting, not a client call. Take the lead in dressing comfortably when working from home and show up comfortable in virtual meetings. Your team will be more comfortable turning the camera on if you do.

Using the power of politeness to improve your digital presence isn’t complicated. Just make people feel like they matter – like you would in person. Put your audience first. Put some thought in your writing. And your digital interactions will be as polished as your in-person ones. And no one will avoid you at your neighborhood barbecue.