Social Media: Be Your Best Self

by Ernest D. Ricks

It’s no secret: social media has changed the way we interact. And with the sweeping changes come opportunities and hazards.

Photo credit: Cliff Williams, Times-Georgian

Keith Meade, of the Atlanta-based marketing company What’s Up Interactive, visited campus on UWG’s first Social Media Day on March 6 with advice on how to behave in the new media world. Meade, the senior account director and partner at What’s Up, told students, faculty and staff to be thoughtful of the image they project online:

Be Careful of Photos/Tagging – This is something we’ve heard over and over again but that doesn’t make it untrue. Potential employers will check your profiles on Facebook, Linkedin and other sites. Avoid posting negative photos as well as being tagged in negative photos. When you choose to live out loud others can choose to hear you.

Post Mindfully – While many of us may use social media for self-expression we should be mindful of what we say. Writing personal complaints about your company or fellow employees is an obvious no-no. With that said, let’s also consider our language when we post status or Twitter updates. Get into the habit now before Facebook’s timeline feature comes back to haunt you.

Brand Yourself – Social media has positives too. Rather than worry yourself with the risks involved, use social media to market yourself. Make sure your pages reflect your passions and that they show you in the best possible light. Market those passions to make yourself an attractive commodity.

Get to Know Your Employers – Just as your employers can find your profiles you can find theirs. Stand out from the pack by familiarizing yourself with potential employers and their employees before you apply.

Social media doesn’t have to be a risk. Embrace the new age and use it to your advantage.

First Annual Social Media Day Features Industry Heavy-Hitters

Keith Meade, COO of What’s Up Interactive, described the importance of social media during the first annual Social Media Day. His discussion featured examples of how major companies have been using social media for promotion and crisis management.

Meade also offered advice on how to manage one’s image as well as how to make oneself more marketable through services like LinkedIn.

A similar seminar held coincidentally on the same date was a Q and A session with UWG alumnus and founder of WhatCounts, Alan Nance (pictured).

WhatCounts is a communications service that works with clients like Amazon.com in digital messaging and advertisement. This service uses channels such as email, social media, text messaging, and various other means that target mobile devices.

Nance attested, with regards web-based industry, a company should be flexible to adapt to the volatile social media market.

Both Nance and Meade described the current job market as a place very much open to information technology applicants.

Meade even mentioned the statistic that there is only one qualified applicant for every 10 tech-based openings in the Metro Atlanta area alone.

UWG Social Media Day

Get social with us! The UWG Social Media Collaborative and Auxiliary Services is thrilled to announce the first UWG Social Media Day, March 6. We invite you to connect on campus real-time with students, other departments and student organizations that are utilizing social media as a way of communicating and experiencing campus life.

Ways to participate:

• Register your department for the Tweet-n-Greet (for a table; space permitting), 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. in the TLC Atrium.
• Use the event hash tag #UWGsocial12 to tweet about the day’s activities.
• Connect face to face with students.
• Promote your Department’s Facebook, Twitter, YouTube pages; gaining new fans/followers.
• Encourage your Marketing and PR students to visit with Keith Meade, COO of What’s Up Interactive, at 1:00 p.m. in TLC1305.
• Have a ‘social’ event in your office from 2:00-5:00 p.m. inviting students to drop in (promote that day via Twitter and the event hashtag)
• Attend the next UWG Social Media Collaborative Meeting on February 23 at 3:00 p.m. in UCC 210 to become involved!

If you would like to register for the Tweet-n-Greet or for further information contact Sherri Shelnutt of Auxiliary Services at 678-839-5077 or sshelnut@westga.edu.