In the ever-increasing and fast paced world of social media where everyone is seemingly connected and accessible, questions arise about how to separate your personal and professional identities. How and why you are using social media is important, and working to deliver consistent and engaging content is key to developing your identity.

Many people have both personal and professional profiles. In working to develop and maintain your professional image, consider this:

• Your emotions. Personal pages are generally realms for sharing memories, having fun, and plain old distraction. You tag your sister in a funny meme, you share a photo of you and your best friend on their birthday. It’s a window into your daily life. In contrast, professional pages are driven by achievement, inspiration, and success. Pictures are less selfie in nature and more product or workplace oriented. By promoting yourself as an influencer and industry leader, business pages allow you to engage and connect with both current and potential customers and partners.

• How you (and your audience) are using your time. Regarding personal and professional use of social media, there is a different feel and intention for the time you spend. For example, people spend time on personal networks, sharing content, liking friends and family posts and just scrolling through their news feed. The use of professional pages is much more intentional. Time is invested on social media with the goal of making and fostering connections, sharing important information, and engaging with the right influencers.

• Share appropriate content. Personally, people expect to see posts about your last vacation, a funny conversation that happened in the day, or a picture of you finishing your latest 1,000 piece puzzle. Posts are generally entertaining and seek to keep your friends and family informed of your latest happenings. On the professional side, content is more educational, sharing industry news or tips, or informative, highlighting your next sale or the launch of a new product. Pictures and videos are great tools, but they are more “staged” with thoughtful placement of objects or products.

It can be hard to navigate the waters between your personal and professional pages and to keep your professional page on track. Take into account these tips from Undercover Recruiter:

1. Recognize the separation between personal and professional networks.
2. Align your brand with the right emotion by matching your message to the mindset.
3. Engage information-hungry influencers with exclusive information.
4. Frame how your brand helps users gain knowledge and success on professional networks.
5. Build meaningful relationships by participating, sharing, and listening.

Need a second set of eyes to help you bridge the divide between your personal and professional social media marketing? Give us a call at Piccolo Marketing at 615-348-7768. We’d love to help you develop your strategy!