A brief description of how to use current (as of January 2013) social media outlets to build your personal brand. Includes information on how hiring managers and recruiters use social media and the Internet to preview job applicants.

1. Social Media for
Personal Branding
Setting Yourself Up for Success
sbnmktg.com ~ stephanie@sbnmktg.com ~ 704.218.9043

2. Why Online Branding Is Important
❖ 70% of hiring managers say they’ve rejected a
candidate based on information they’ve found
online. – Washington Post, 1/28/10
❖ 37% of employers use Facebook to prescreen
applicants. – Huffington Post, 4/12/12
❖ 91% of recruiters use social networks to
evaluate job applicants. – 2011 Reppler Survey
❖ Employers admit they’re looking for resume
exaggerations & whether applicant would be a
good fit for their culture.
sbnmktg.com ~ stephanie@sbnmktg.com ~ 704.218.9043

3. Why Social Media Is Important
❖ Posts/updates are indexable
points for the search engines.
❖ Keyword-rich posts will help you
get found AND show off your
interests & expertise.
❖ The more items you have indexed,
the more likely you are to show
up in search engine results.
sbnmktg.com ~ stephanie@sbnmktg.com ~ 704.218.9043

4. Strategies/Methods - General
❖ Open & Maintain Profiles on the Major
Social Outlets
❖ Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn,
Google+, Pinterest, Blog.
❖ Fill out info completely with keyword-
rich content to make them appealing
to the search engines.
sbnmktg.com ~ stephanie@sbnmktg.com ~ 704.218.9043

5. Strategies/Methods - Overview
❖ Analyze which social media outlets contain your audience.
❖ Where are your potential employers?
❖ Compose keyword-rich posts that engage your audience AND read well to
the search engines.
sbnmktg.com ~ stephanie@sbnmktg.com ~ 704.218.9043

6. Strategies/Methods - Facebook
❖ Never trust security settings.
❖ Friends can give access to your
profile - inadvertently or on purpose.
❖ New Open Graph Search gives your
information without your knowing.
❖ Posts and information can be
indexed.
sbnmktg.com ~ stephanie@sbnmktg.com ~ 704.218.9043

7. Strategies/Methods - LinkedIn
❖ LinkedIn is considered a search engine in its own right,
and the keywords in your profile will allow you to be
found by searchers (like headhunters, recruiters, etc.).
❖ Personal profiles can be indexed for company name and
specialties, as well.
❖ Join Groups and participate in their conversations for
more indexable points of entry to the search engines.
sbnmktg.com ~ stephanie@sbnmktg.com ~ 704.218.9043

8. Strategies/Methods - YouTube
❖ Take advantage of a YouTube channel - it’s the
2nd largest search engine, only behind Google.
❖ Another entry point into SERPs.
❖ Google puts emphasis on their own properties
& YouTube is Google’s video outlet.
❖ Ideas
❖ Presentations.
❖ Video resumes.
❖ Talk about your expertise/passion.
sbnmktg.com ~ stephanie@sbnmktg.com ~ 704.218.9043

9. Strategies/Methods - Pinterest
❖ Another entry point into SERPs.
❖ Great way to show off interests, personal &
professional!
❖ Ideas
❖ Show personality with personal-type pins (ie style,
humor, etc.) while still showing professional
expertise with professional-type boards & pins.
❖ Pin blog posts, interesting articles, infographics for
professional boards.
sbnmktg.com ~ stephanie@sbnmktg.com ~ 704.218.9043

10. Strategies/Methods - Slideshare
❖ Another entry point into SERPs.
❖ Allows you to upload any Powerpoint or
Keynote presentation.
❖ Be sure to use keywords as tags
❖ Ideas
❖ Upload class presentations.
❖ Put together a presentation specifically for Slideshare
that shows a passion or expertise you have.
sbnmktg.com ~ stephanie@sbnmktg.com ~ 704.218.9043

11. Strategies/Methods - E-mail
❖ Easy place to show professionalism.
❖ Grammar, spelling & punctuation matter!
❖ Do NOT use text-speak.
❖ Address matters. Employers & clients pay attention.
❖ Would you hire sexykitty@xyz.com or
stephanie@sbnmktg.com?
❖ Would you work with sbnmarketing@yahoo.com or
stephanie@sbnmktg.com?
❖ E-mail signature is a GREAT place to include links to
social media outlets. Show you’ve got nothing to hide!
sbnmktg.com ~ stephanie@sbnmktg.com ~ 704.218.9043

12. Important Pieces of the Puzzle
❖ Make sure information is the same across channels.
❖ Address, Phone Number, Web Address, E-mail Address, etc.
❖ Make sure all pieces send the same message.
❖ Social media.
❖ Resume.
❖ E-mail signature.
❖ Etc.
sbnmktg.com ~ stephanie@sbnmktg.com ~ 704.218.9043

13. What to Expect for Your Brand
❖ OWN IT! Big brands don’t let others define them; neither should you.
❖ Know what’s out there about you/your brand. Don’t let your reputation
proceed you without you even knowing what it is!
❖ Stop thinking search results will appear overnight.
❖ Search engine algos change a lot. Do your best &
don’t stop trying to learn.
❖ Keep an eye on new outlets - which are worth
your time? Analyze your audience & where/how
you want to be found.
❖ Social media can turn into a time suck. Figure out how
much you can handle, and handle those things well.
sbnmktg.com ~ stephanie@sbnmktg.com ~ 704.218.9043

14. So...
❖ Questions?
❖ Comments?
sbnmktg.com ~ stephanie@sbnmktg.com ~ 704.218.9043