What message are you sending?

OK, so you don’t like to blog. You hate tweeting. You refuse to put up a picture on your LinkedIn profile. And yet you have all those social media platforms. Perhaps you should get rid of them.

Here’s the thing. If you don’t use them–for whatever reason–don’t have them. Having an old blog, and old profile or an unused Twitter makes it seem like you are no longer around or worse, that you just don’t care.

Last night, I attended a panel presentation where one of the presenters said that potential employers and/or new business connections are checking out your social media profiles  prior to meeting with you. Having an outdated social media presence sends a message, and it is not a good one. (As an aside, and kind of weird, I checked the social media presence for some of these panelists and I found a blog that hasn’t been updated since 2009 and someone with four  LinkedIn profiles with about one connection each. Hmm. That is not a great message is it?)

This is the message I am getting from you:

You say you know how to do social media but you haven’t tweeted in two months and you only have 50 followers? I don’t believe you.

You are a writer and you say you can help others blog but your website doesn’t have a blog? You don’t know how to position yourself and what a blog is really for.

You are a communications executive and all you have is a personal Facebook page?  You don’t get the power of social media to educate and expand your network.

You are sending a message  by having an outdated or unused profile and it may not be one that you want to communicate. An outdated or unused profile  could  mean that you are not comfortable on social media, that you don’t have much to say, that you don’t pay attention to social media or even that you experiment but don’t follow through. None of it is positive.

Don’t miss out! Sign up for the next How to blog workshop, taking place on May 17. Details and registration here.