All of the information, posts, pictures, and data you put online, whether purposely or not, is a digital footprint.People can learn more about you if you put more information online.If your boss sees inappropriate social media posts, it could be a problem.It only takes a few simple steps to present a positive image online, so get started now!
Step 1: It's important to know what your digital footprint is.
You can search for yourself on a few different search engines.If you want to improve or get rid of something, make a list.Go beyond the first page of both websites.The results will show up if you go a few pages in.If you want to stay on top of your online presence, set a GOOGLE alert for your own name.If anything mentions you online, you will get a notification.
Step 2: When searching for yourself, you may find some posts that are not professional.
It's possible that anyone can see them, which could hurt you in your personal and professional life.All of this should be deleted as soon as possible.People will not see them if they are bosses or potential employers.Foul language, risqué photos, drinking, or rude comments can be found in questionable content.They should be deleted if they show up, and not post more in the future.It's not always possible to control what shows up online.Ask the search engine to remove the results if you want more help.If you want to report personal or private information showing up on their search engine, you can do so by visiting support.google.com.You can follow a similar process for Yahoo by visiting thehelp.Yahoo.com.It's important to remember that removing something from a search engine doesn't remove it from the internet entirely.You have to contact the administrator of the site that published it to get rid of that.
Step 3: The best thing to do is think before you post.
Share things that show you in a positive light, and think about the implications of the posts you made.If your family or potential employers see your posts, you won't have to be embarrassed.If you are upset, try not to post something.You might not think about the bigger implications of what you say.If you don't know if something is appropriate to post online, ask a few people for their opinions.It is best to avoid posting it if they say it is not professional.
Step 4: There is no point in keeping accounts you don't use.
There is more information about you online if all these accounts are open.This makes it difficult to keep up with your online presence, so close any accounts that you don't use anymore.Deleting an account won't get rid of the images that have been shared on other platforms.If you want to get rid of something, you need to contact the platform that it was shared on.
Step 5: A professional image is part of a good digital footprint.
The accounts and profiles you use should be up to date.If you want potential employers to see accurate information, update your accounts.List your current job and contact information on your LinkedIn profile.Potential employers may not be able to find you.This is not always necessary for non-professional accounts.Your followers don't have to know where you work.
Step 6: It's a great way to keep your online presence professional.
If you have any professional or personal achievements, you can share them on social media.You will quickly build a positive online presence.It's important for professional sites.Visitors want to see the good things you have done.Potential employers tend to like seeing volunteer work and membership in professional organizations, so be sure to share any of these activities on your pages.
Step 7: Privacy settings are available on most social media platforms.
To control who can see your posts, adjust the settings on all of your platforms.If you keep your accounts private, you can prevent someone from seeing posts that you don't want them to see.There are settings for privacy.Limit posts to only your friends or followers, prevent commenting or interaction on some posts, and even choose who can and can't see your posts.Privacy settings are not a substitute for being careful with what you post.Even if your accounts are locked, don't make inappropriate posts.
Step 8: It's important to protect your identity when managing your digital footprint.
If you don't keep up with your passwords, accounts, and information online, thieves could steal your identity.Set strong, unique usernames and passwords for all of your online accounts to protect yourself.This makes it less likely that a hacker will be able to access your accounts.An online password manager can help you remember your passwords.OneLogin, Dashlane, and 1Password store your passwords and can generate new strong ones.If you have trouble keeping track of your passwords, it's a good idea to keep a list in a notebook or planners.If a hacker gained access to your computer, they could find a list you saved on your desktop.You should not share this information on your social media or public accounts.If you post it anywhere, a hacker could get your information.
Step 9: Information is kept when you search for something online.
Private or incognito browsers keep you anonymous and prevent the browser from storing your search information.Web browsers can't build a profile for you based on your search data.Since the browser hasn't compiled a search history for you, using private web browsers is a good way to avoid getting flooded with advertisements.It's good to protect your financial information with incognito windows.It is possible for shopping sites to store your credit card information without you knowing.
Step 10: You can use cookies to track your search data.
It is supposed to make your web experience more convenient because sites will remember you, but it could also store your personal information.If you want to avoid this, you need to clear the cookies on your browser every few months.You will lose some of your search history when you sign back into your accounts after you deleted all cookies.Sometimes cookies are convenient.You won't have to re-authenticate your computer every time you log on if you have a cookie from your bank.You can choose the cookies you want to keep.
Step 11: There is a lot of information online when you make different shopping accounts.
Many websites now offerCheckout as a Guest options.You won't have to make an account or store your personal information in order to shop.If you have a lot of online shopping accounts, you can always close them to get your information off the website.