Social media can make or break a person’s personal brand. A lot of what I learned about improving my personal brand on social media came from experience and guidance, some of which are things you can start right now.

Improving my personal brand on social helped others take me more seriously and allowed me to narrow down my message. I shared articles about topics that were important to me and publicized parts of my life I wanted to share and/or inspire others.

Recently, social media usage has been making headlines. From the President’s latest tweet to the always popular example of the person who asks for a certain number of retweets to get a freebie from a fast food place, the reach of  social media posts has been well publicized. With your personal brand and knowledge of the reach of a post in mind, what is the best way to use social media for the best of others and the user?

A rule of thumb for posting on social media is to not post something a grandmother would not want to see. Employers and others are more likely to take a profile seriously if the content on the profile is appropriate. If they were to see one post of someone on their first day at a dream internship then next see a not so flattering picture from spring break the year before this would put the credibility of the poster at risk.

Credibility for a poster is necessary if the poster wants their message to be taken seriously. Making a difference can be done through big or small actions, and someone posting on social media is right in the middle.  A good personal brand and wise decision making when posting on social media can allow anyone to step up for a worthy cause.

What advice do you have for the best ways to use social media? Let us know in the comments or using #stepupmagazine.