3 Tips For More Authentic Social Media

Social media isn't simple these days. For example, your LinkedIn might be seen by an employer, but your Snapchat might not. Add to that things like Twitter and its mixed audience, and it can be difficult to make your social media both authentic and professional at the same time. However, there are a few things you can do to help accomplish both goals.

Tip 1: Be Honest

Sometimes we act as if our authentic selves are completely separate from our professional selves, but that often isn't the case. This means that it helps to be honest with yourself and ask if your social media is really reflecting who you are as both a person and as a professional. Maybe share a few things that demonstrate your own personal investment in what you do and demonstrate that you can bridge the gap between personal and professional.

Tip 2: Focus on the Bridges

Speaking of bridging gaps, another way to make an authentic and professional social media presence is to think of areas of connection between your personal and professional lives. In other words, focus on the bridges. If you can't connect what you're posting to something you do professionally, it might be helpful to focus more on connections between your personal life and your professional life.

Tip 3: Forget the Kitchen Sink/Remember the audience

It's easy to treat social media as a dumping ground for everything (and the kitchen sink) regardless of who might see it. However, different audiences are going to have different expectations of you. Maybe your close friends don't mind seeing what you had for dinner the night before, but will it help you land that next job? If not, then maybe it doesn't need to get posted. Basically the advice here is have a filter that is created by your potential audiences.

All of this talk about filters and bridges might seem like a lot of editing and self-censorship, but it doesn't have to be. It's helpful to think of these tips in terms of audience awareness. Put yourself in the shoes of a co-worker or potential employer, and before you post, ask yourself if you would get a job based on your social media. If the answer is no, the next question should be: do I really need to post this?