So you thought your days of worrying about your reputation were gone once you walked across the stage when you got your high school diploma. Well, think again, my friend. Whether you’re in your 20’s, 30’s, 40’s, 50’s or 60’s, there is still someone out there trying to judge you by the things that you say and the choices that you make. And you know what? That’s okay! In the words of America’s sweetheart, Taylor Swift, “Haters gonna hate” but that doesn’t mean that you need to supply them with all the ammunition they could possibly want. From current employers, future employers, your boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend, to your grandmother, everyone is taking a peek at what you’re sharing online but don’t fret.
Being classy on social media doesn’t mean that you have to lose your sass.
The last thing you want to do is take the fun out of social and the good news is that you can still be awesome, have a ton of fun, engage your fan club, and still maintain an air of chic. Here’s how:
Smart is sexy: Spend a day and go through your online profiles, bios, and “About Me” pages. Even though space if often limited, it’s time to retire the online shorthand of “UR” “2” and “l8r”, use proper punctuation marks, remove the once popular all-lower-case or all-caps writing, and limit your use of the ellipsis (…).
Age is beauty: Stop living in the past and embrace your “now” you. Yes, your tan was amazing in the pic taken 5 years ago and you were at your perfect weight 3 years ago in that pic from Costa Rica, but everyone wants to see the real you; as you are now, in all your aging beauty. So update those pics and show the current beautiful you.
Everyone loves a good party: The food is to die for and the cocktails are flowing like water so why wouldn’t you want to share the fun with your followers? By all means, share away. But here’s a little trick. Post, share pics, tweet, and Instagram as much as you’d like….in the first hour. After that, put the phone away. This is a great rule for two reasons: 1) it will prevent really embarrassing selfies and inappropriate status updates that you may not remember posting once the sun comes up. 2) It helps you actually enjoy the party and engage with the people around you as opposed to being on Facebook all night.
Take a time out: I know you really want to vent about your boss or reply to that nasty post by your crazy cousin but who is going to look bad in the end? YOU. Take a time out before hitting “post” and revisit that it when your stress level isn’t so high. 9 out of 10 times you will decide against that public engagement and that’s a very wise move.
Always remember, “A girl should be two things: Classy and Fabulous.” ~Coco Chanel
About the Author:
Michele Lawson is a public speaker, social media consultant, and the author of the upcoming book Unleash Your Networking Mojo. She currently resides in Texas with her husband and pup, Little Dude. Michele can be found at www.michelelawson.com, on Twitter @chelelawson, and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/michelejolawson
