First impressions happen in the blink of an eye. Whether it’s face to face or over social media, people will quickly and easily form an opinion about you based on what they see. The reality is that social media plays a major role in how people perceive us online, and even more so when you’re trying to build or run a business.

If you want to make sure that social media doesn’t damage your personal brand, here are a few guidelines that you can follow.

Reserve Your Handles and Domains

Even if you aren’t using certain social media platforms just yet, it’s best to reserve your handles as soon as you can – the same goes for your domain. If you are just getting started on social media, try and have the same handle, or at least similar handles, across all platforms.

Perfect Your Bio

An inconsistent bio is not going to do your personal brand any favors. The best thing you can do is turn your elevator pitch into a bio and to ensure that you’re using the same bio across all platforms. You also want to have professional headshots taken to create a good and lasting first impression.

Think Twice about Your Content

Be selective about the content and social media posts that you publish. Everything you post online has the potential to be stuck online forever, which means it will forever be associated with your personal brand. Consider the words as well as the images you will be using – are they a true representation of your personal brand?

Be Consistent

If you want to market your personal brand online, consistency is key. You can’t post something whenever the mood strikes, not if you want to build trust and a sound reputation. Plan your social media posts and blog posts so that your audience is hearing from you on a regular basis. It’s also important to keep an eye on comments and to engage with your audience in a meaningful way.

Social media can be a powerful personal branding tool but only if you are committed to keeping your profiles updated and are staying consistent and engaged. I personally love to use Later to schedule my social media posts ahead of time.