Prioritizing Platforms for your Professional Online Presence

I have written about needing to create a professional online presence and some may argue that they don't have the time to monitor and nurture their presence on every platform I have discussed. It's true that very few people have the time to be everywhere consistently, but there are some important things to remember when it comes to being active on on more than one platform.

Firstly, you have to decide which platform you will focus on the most. Your decision should hinge on any platforms that are standard for your chosen field. Your choice should also be impacted by the platform(s) you enjoy using the most. For me, I enjoy my time spend on Twitter, but my Twitter account is linked to other accounts, which is key.

After you decide on your platform of choice, make sure all other platforms are connected in some way to your platform of choice. I mentioned, my Twitter account is the most active and regularly updated. On my Twitter profile, I list my professional online portfolio subsequently has links to my LinkenIn, About.me, Facebook, Blogger, Tumblr, and Twitter - many of these platforms also link to one another. In addition, on my professional online portfolio there are links to platforms I manage, which are relevant to my career, including Pinterest, Instagram, and Google+.

If that still seems like a lot, remember that not all platforms require regular monitoring. For example, LinkedIn and About.me can be updated each time you change jobs and when you received a new award or have finished a critical project. The messaging feature on LinkedIn can also be forwarded to your regular email address so you won't miss an important message.

Despite how active you plan to be on each individual platform, it's important to claim your identity across many (if not all) of the most major platforms. Keep your name consistent to keep intruders from hijacking your online identity pretending to be you without your permission. Your online presence is sacred, the only way to ensure it's legitimacy is to be the person in control of content produced under your name.