While checking my LinkedIn account today, I noticed the tab that claimed that “9 people viewed my profile,” so I clicked on it, like I do each week.  I thought, who is checking me out and who can I connect with?  Of the 9 people, 4 were LinkedIn members who chose to remain anonymous, 2 showed names with no photos, 2 showed location and industry but no name, and 1 had a photo with a name.  Wow… that’s a high percentage of people who don’t want to be known or seen… ON SOCIAL MEDIA. (Heavy sigh).

By it’s very definition, aren’t most of these new platforms designed to build relationships, open up new horizons and connect people virtually to the world stage?  At it’s purest center, social media began in an effort to connect like-minded people – students – to each other to expand their social circles.  So why create an account with no photo, no info and no activity?  And then why go out, accept friend requests and then refuse to post ANYTHING (cat photo, coffee choice or car temperature gauge… whatever!) or interact with the people you chose to connect with?  I’m so confused.

OK, I get that there are creepy people out there using these platforms for nefarious reasons, and weird people who lurk and skulk around the fringes of the platforms for various reasons, but I’m referring to legitimate people in the community who seem to want to be anonymous while stalking around Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and other platforms, yet claiming they interact.  These are the people who seem to know everything you’ve been up to, personal and business, and love chatting with you about it, yet you’ve NEVER seen them post, comment, like or favorite anything you’ve posted.  I just don’t get it.  I do think one should be selective about the info shared, (although since LinkedIn is a business networking site, why wouldn’t you put your resume, achievements, photo, etc?), but these stalkers seem to expect everyone else to play fair while they continue to leave up the blank photo box, the incomplete profile and lack of “likes,” comments, or any real interaction whatsoever.

I believe that everyone can and should use social media at whatever level they choose.  But the reality is that most of us have an online footprint, whether we like it or not.  If you are in business to make connections and profits, or engaged in your community on any level, then why wouldn’t you use these new mediums to continue to reach out, engage and be a part of the universe?  Why be so devious and underground about it?  Just don’t have an account at all!  Again, I know that the creeps have their reasons too, I am specifically talking about the normal, everyday people…  Stay with me on that!

The other side of this is that online content is being generated by the billions of bytes every second of the day.  It only seems smart to be in control of any content that relates to you personally or your company brand… and that includes generating and monitoring as much content as applicable!  Control or be controlled.  Claim every pertinent page or account, especially for your company, or you risk someone else doing that and possibly using the space to do harm.  As good business people, we should all be concerned and in control of those areas that we can, and not leave it to chance.

So when we talk with clients about setting up appropriate social media platforms to achieve marketing business strategies, we are clear that they do not have to do it, but if they choose to begin, we recommend jumping in with both feet.  If it proves to be counter-productive to the business goals, then delete the account.  But let’s try it out, set up the accounts appropriately, with graphics, info, optimized content and ongoing interaction to accurately determine if it’s helping or hurting.  Control the content or someone will control it for you.  We’ve had so many instances with new clients, where their Yelp listing is wrong, reviews are sitting there with no action, wrong phone numbers, broken links and more.

No longer can you be lazy or avoid the online universe.  But you can control how much interaction you have, and what is said about you.

And for those of us who stick around over the summer here in the Desert, what better time to take a few hours and assess your online footprint, review the platforms, check your accounts and all the info, update where necessary, create new content where needed, and put some effort into what can only be described as the most influential marketing medium since TV.  It’s not hard, but it does take TIME.  And lots of it.  There was recently a great article on www.Forbes.com listing the Top 20 Tips to Online Marketing.  This brings it all into focus, and gives a nice roadmap to taking control of your online social media footprint.

The moral of this story?  In my opinion, if you chose to engage in social media, upload a photo for heaven’s sake!  I was lucky to attend a recent AdFed of the Desert seminar with guest speaker, Kevin Knebl, and his first tip; get out your phone and snap a smiling photo and upload ASAP!  And post occasionally, don’t lurk or stalk.  It’s so annoying and creepy.  Be a part of the group, allow it to bring you info and joy, and every now and then, LIKE a post… it will make someone’s day!