Online Identity Roxanne Darling 081125

BrightTalk 25 November 2008Roxanne Darling • barefeetstudios.com

Managing & Maximizing Your Online

Identityby

Roxanne Darlingknowhowcafe.com [“rox”]

barefeetstudios.combeachwalks.tv


Who am I?

๏ Your identity is how people know you on the internet.

๏ It confers certain rights & responsibilities.

๏ You may have many online identities, in many forms.

๏ Consistency and transparency can help you build your personal as well as company brand.

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Online Identity - what๏ Your online identity is a virtual way of

representing yourself & your interests; it may take various forms:๏ Your email address(es)๏ Your screen name(s) - both real name and

aliases๏ Your avatars/gravatars๏ Your web site address(es)๏ The content at each of these locations๏ Your behavior on each interactive web site

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Online Identity - what (2)

๏ In some cases you will have personal and professional identities.

๏ Be clear when you are representing your company or yourself, or in some cases both.

๏ If you are a company, it’s important to monitor your brand as others may be assuming your identity under false premises.

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Online Identity - who๏ It is important to be clear and consistent about

who/what you represent with different accounts. ๏ If you are using an email address from work, you

are by default representing your company’s interests.

๏ If you are using your home email address, you are more clearly speaking for yourself.

๏ If you’re a “solo-preneur” or in business for yourself, it’s easy to blur the line between the personal you and the professional you.

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Online Identity - why๏ We use an online identity because it’s

convenient. ๏ Our websites and email addresses are where/how

we communicate with others.๏ Our online “brand” helps establish trust with our

customers. ๏ Being consistent with your identity across the

web also helps search engines know where to find you.

๏ Our identity is also used for “authentication” when you conduct secure transactions online.

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Online Identity - where๏ Our online identities can be used in many

online situations, including our web sites, email, and blogging, as well as Twitter and other social networking tools.

๏ We can use our identities on many different devices: iphones & blackberries, computers, Apple TV, etc.

๏ Our online identity, and the brand that we develop with it can be local or global.

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Online Identity - where (2)

๏ Start Here:๏ get a gmail account for your name & company๏ get a web site address for your name &

company๏ get a Twitter account at twitter.com๏ get a LinkedIn account at linkedin.com๏ get a Facebook account at facebook.com๏ get a Flickr account at flickr.com

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๏ Visit the membership or transactional website.๏ Choose “Register” or “Sign” up link๏ Your email address is often the “key identifier.”

You can usually change it later if necessary.๏ Your username and/or screen name is what is

publicly displayed. Choose it wisely! It usually cannot be changed if it is a username.

๏ Add any additional “profile info” that is accepted.

๏ Upload your picture or use a gravatar.

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Online Identity - how

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Online Identity - how (2)

๏ Think strategically about how your online identity helps (or hinders) the interactions with others.

๏ Most business people use their real names as that is how they want others to find and remember them. This “transparency” builds your “personal brand.”

๏ Sometimes a company name is used, even though one or more people may be managing the account.

๏ For personal use or special projects, many people use a nickname, and this is often recommended for kids using online networks.

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Online Identity - how (3)

๏ Keep your identities “filed” by categories (business, personal, shopping, etc.)

๏ Develop tricks for remembering your usernames and passwords.

๏ Have an alternate screen name especially if your preferred name is common and already in use.

๏ Use Google alerts and other search tools to track your identity in other people’s hands.

๏ Create custom tags for events & projects.

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Online Identity - when๏ If you are thinking of starting a new project, go

ahead and buy the web address. ๏ Grab your “screen name” at different online

services as you learn about them, even if you don’t plan to use it for now. This keeps someone else from using “your name.” It’s also known as protecting your online real estate.

๏ Just as you keep track of your passwords, it’s a good idea to keep track of your usernames and your screen names.

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Join Us on the Social Web!

๏ The social web is a rich and wonderful place to make friends and conduct business.

๏ Just like offline, there are standards of behavior that when understood, can truly serve you and your interests.

๏ Just like offline, some neighborhoods are more to your liking than others, and sometimes it takes knowing someone personally before you can appreciate the hidden jewels that “locals” know about and enjoy.

๏ Unlike offline though, it is generally easier to make friends and build your business in unexpected ways. Serendipity abounds on the social web.

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Conceived and written by:Roxanne Darling

co-creator of KnowHow Cafe: knowhowcafe.comceo at Bare Feet Studios: barefeetstudios.comhost of Beach Walk with Rox: beachwalks.tvEmail: [email protected]: roxannedarling

Contributors:Judi Clark

digital identity coach; twitter: @judico

Shane Robinsonmy everything partner; twitter: @shane

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Business

Online Identity Roxanne Darling 081125