building your e-presence

As long as we are still here on social media, we need to be mindful of our e-presence.

In its most basic form, e-presence refers to the personal and interpersonal qualities that assist us as digital citizens in creating and maintaining a positive, coherent, and consistent online identity and presence. This entails:

(1) effective online communication

(2) productive interaction in virtual social space

(3) competent data and digital traces management.

but how? i’m extracting some of my experience here for your reference:

1. Knowing your “Why” to online for coherent online identity:

Do you want to share your knowledge, network professionally, or simply meet people who share your interests? Understanding your “why” will direct your online activities and communications, which may include, but are not limited to:

• Online profiles: It should reflect who you are and align with your objectives, and if possible, using consistently across platform for building a more coherent identity.

• Tone: Friendly, professional, critics… no matter what tone you use, genuine matters. Readers are (usually) smart enough to detect if you have a hidden agenda. Especially, hidden agenda that favors commercial purposes are generally not welcomed on social media.
  
• Updates frequency: Professionally, I would recommend at least two weeks or one month for a post as bare minimum, but personally, I would post whenever there is an important event in my life that I want to remember and be recalled.

2. Knowing your “How” to communicate online:

As usual, It’s not just about what you say but also how you say it, say:

• Use of emojis: No kidding! Emotion transfer and context are lacking in online interactions. As a result, the same one “Let’s talk ;)” definitely appears to be more inviting and casual than “Let’s talk.”
  
• Use of message react: Active reaction to message/ post fosters a strong connection.

3. Knowing your “Where” to communicate:

Virtual social spaces like online communities, social media platforms, and forums has such a diverse profiles.

• Choose Wisely: Pick platforms, communities, connections that align with your interests and objectives.
  
• Active Participation: Don’t just observe; participate! Share your thoughts, contribute to discussions, and support others. (May refer to the How part again)

4. Knowing your Data & Digital Traces:

As you build your e-Presence, you’re also leaving a trail of digital traces. These traces can be anything from comments on a blog post to a photo shared on social media. For most of the time, you will be fine with:

• Privacy Settings: Familiarize yourself with the privacy settings on different platforms to control who sees your content.
  
• Mindful Sharing: Think before you share. Be mindful of the potential long-term visibility and impact of your online activities.
  
• Regular Clean-up: Regularly review your online activities and remove content that no longer serves your purpose or aligns with your online identity.

Tired? Even i do some times. But it’s an ongoing process eventually – so do it with reflection, updates, and engagement at your pace.

As person who have learnt so much on social media, the rewards are worth it as a strong e-Presence can open doors to new opportunities and connections.

I hope you have fun – both online and offline.