Social Networking Strategy #1: Use One Profile for All Social Media Networks
In this example you would have just one account or profile at, say, Facebook (and another at Twitter, etc.). When you update your status, add friends, or "like" new pages, this info will be visible to both your friends and professional contacts. You could write about anything -- from the very personal (my dog just destroyed my couch) to something more topical to your job (anyone know how to post a PowerPoint show online?).
Pros:
- Simplicity; easiest method to use
- Build a well-rounded online identity
- Update all of your contacts at once
Cons:
- Might cause you to be more reserved than you normally would be if you had a separate personal account
- You might need to be more reserved -- your professional contacts probably don't care about your Facebook virtual farms and your friends may not care about the details of the conference you're attending
One way to channel messages specific or appropriate to different groups is to set up filters for your contacts so you can choose who will see the message when you post it.
Social Networking Strategy #2: Use Separate Personal and Professional Profiles
Set up a separate work-related account and another for personal use on each social networking site. When you want to post about work, log into your professional account and vice versa for personal social networking.
Pros:
- Helps maintain work-life boundaries
- Less fear of your colleagues or boss seeing personal details you may not want to share, so you may be more candid (keeping in mind the previous privacy warnings before, though -- namely, that privacy may not exist in social media anymore)
- Messages from contacts will be more relevant to the account type (i.e., you'll see mostly work-related posts in the professional acocunt)
Cons:
- Can be tricky to maintain -- you need to be sure you are logged in to the right account before posting
- Harder to see or share updates across all your contacts. Solution: Some programs, like TweetDeck solve this problem by allowing you to post from multiple accounts on multiple networks (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn). You'll still need to be vigilant about which profiles you are posting to/from
Social Networking Strategy #3: Use Separate Social Networking Services for Different Purposes
Some people use Facebook for personal use but LinkedIn or other niche professional social networks for work use. Facebook, with its games, virtual gifts, and other fun but distracting apps may be more suited for general socializing. LinkedIn, meanwhile, has more of a professional focus, with networking groups for different industries and companies. Twitter is often used for both purposes.
Pros:
- Same benefits as maintaining separate personal and professional accounts on each network, but a bit less confusing. When you're in Facebook, you write about your life. When in LinkedIn, you can be all business.
Cons:
- Harder to share or see updates across all your contacts. Again, though, you can use applications to merge multiple accounts.
Which Social Strategy Should You Use?
If you want the simplest method and are not concerned about mixing your business and personal personas, just use one profile on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and/or other social networks. Many professional bloggers (e.g., Heather Armstrong, famous for being fired after writing very candid work-related posts on her personal blog, Anil Dash, Jason Kottke, and others) became famous because they developed strong, often outspoken, online identities where "followers" got a sense of both their personalities as well as their professional lives. You can use social media to develop that same kind of online singular identity.
If you want to keep your work and personal lives separate, though, use either multiple accounts or different networks for different purposes. It can be more complex, but may be better for work-life balance.
Other strategies for maintaining work-life balance with social networking:
- Separate when you use social media according to your purpose: During the daytime, for example, only post professional or work-related updates to help you keep your focus on your job.
- Remember to unplug or log off regularly and interact with people non-digitally in both your personal and professional worlds.
