Social media has evolved into one of the most effective tools for business, and it’s up to you to use it to either make you or break you. The Signal sat down with technology and media royalty to figure out how students can create their professional brands online.
Being a Social Media Savant
On March 27, Randi Zuckerberg, founder and CEO of Zuckerberg Media and media entrepreneur, shared some input on having a professional media presence.
“First of all, it used to be 20 or 30 years ago you could pick one thing but not anymore.” Zuckerberg said. “Today, you’re expected to do everything.”
Now as an online professional, you should also be well-versed in video, pictures, and live streaming to get yourself and your business noticed on social media.
And in any kind of posts, your voice as an individual and your business’ voice is imperative to making a strong statement.
“The key that I have found is finding your special area or topic that you can be an expert in and not trying to go too broad,” Zuckerberg said.
Once you’ve got a loyal following, make sure they come to you for your specific specialty. Deliver something to your followers that they can’t get anywhere else in the same way.
Professional vs. Personal
After you’ve made a buzz on social media as a professional, it can be hard to keep your personal life out of your business life.
It’s the millennial-old story: a business mogul gets a little careless online, and the business suffers most.
With great followers comes great responsibility. Just one slip up on your personal profile can cause followers to rethink their relationship with your business.
“Instead of thinking, ‘How do I keep my two lives separate?’ I think more people should be thinking, ‘How do I build a personal brand that feeds into my professional brand?’” Zuckerberg said.
To that effect, today’s business owners should create an online experience where followers feel personally close to them, but oversharing is always a thin line to walk.
“We live in a world where people want to see that,” Zuckerberg said, “but make sure you’re also posting thoughtful things.”
Standing Out Online
Zuckerberg also offered some tips on how to stay innovative amongst competition online. Creativity was her main piece of advice.
“I feel like in most schools that skill isn’t valued enough,” she said. “You’re taught to memorize things for tests, study, and then spit them back out.”
However, Zuckerberg said she believed creativity was the most important skill for any business professional, especially when it comes to any kind of media.
“You have to continually practice being creative, so that when you do need it in business, when you do see a competitor coming, when you do need to change something, you can tap into that,” she said.
