Your digital footprint might not mean that much to you right now, but it really should. Your digital footprint refers to your reputation online and your visibility when anyone is doing a search on you. Your visibility online is endless; your summer vacation video on YouTube, an article mentioning your graduation, party pictures you want to forget about… the list is endless. This content can be seen by anyone doing an assessment of your character online. People will remember you for the things that you say and the things that you do.

1. Your Digital Footprint In A Social Media World
Protecting and building your digital resume online
Anton Koekemoer | July 2012

2. Agenda
Your digital footprint overview
1 Why are people going online?
2 Are you visible online?
3 Employer background check
4 The web is public
5 What makes your digital footprint stand out?
6 A good digital footprint
7 A bad digital footprint
8 Protecting reputations online in plain English
9 Building your digital resume
10 Get found online
11 Possibilities

3. Your Digital Footprint
Introduction
Why you need to put your best foot forward online
Your digital footprint might not mean that much to you right now, but it really should. Your
digital footprint refers to your reputation online and your visibility when anyone is doing a
search on you. Your visibility online is endless; your summer vacation video on YouTube,
an article mentioning your graduation, party pictures you want to forget about… the list is
endless. This content can be seen by anyone doing an assessment of your character
online.
People will remember you for the things that you say and the things that you do.

4. Your Digital Footprint
Why are people going online?

5. Your Digital Footprint
Why are people going online?
 For business purposes
 For information on a new product, service or location
 If they have a question
 If they are looking for help
 If they want more information on certain organizations
 If they want more information on certain individuals
 Meeting attendants
 Business contacts
 General information (maybe about you…)
 New employees
 Available jobs
With the constant growth of the web, and more people getting connected every day,
being visible in a positive way online has become a necessity in today’s digital market
place and to be found online.

6. Your Digital Footprint
Are you visible online?

7. Your Digital Footprint
Are you visible online?
Do you have a digital footprint?
 Do you have a Facebook profile?
 Do you have a Twitter profile?
 Do you have a LinkedIn profile?
 Do you have a profile on any social media channel?
 Have you ever been mentioned on any social media
channel, website or blog?
 Have you ever been tagged in any image online?
 Do you have a Google profile?
 Who uses Gmail?
 Have you ever Googled yourself?

8. Your Digital Footprint
Google search: Linda Koekemoer

9. Your Digital Footprint
Facebook profile: Linda Koekemoer

10. Your Digital Footprint
Employer background check
What if a future employer decides to check your online profile?
 What information will they find?
 Is the information positive or negative?
 Is the information wrong or outdated?
 Where will they look for information?
 Google
 Facebook
 LinkedIn
 Twitter
 Other social media channels
Future employers search recruits through search engines and social networking sites
before offering them jobs – happened to me

11. Your Digital Footprint
Employer background check
What positive things are employers looking for online?
Employers are increasingly making use of the search engines and other related social
media channels to locate and evaluate online information about potential employees.
What are they looking for?
 An indication of the applicants personality
 Online profile supports professional qualifications and conduct
 Good communication skills
 Creativity
 Groups in which the applicant is participating in
 Do other people provide good references and comments about them
 Have they received any awards and accolades

12. Your Digital Footprint
Employer background check
Top reasons why an employer will not hire applicants by screening them online
– survey by careerbuilder
 Posted inappropriate photographs or information
 Posted content about them drinking or using drugs
 Bad-mouthed previous employer, co-workers or clients
 Showed poor communication skills
 Made discriminatory comments
 Lied about qualifications
 Shared confidential information about previous employer
Source: careerbuilder.com

13. Your Digital Footprint
Employer background check
What if your boss finds this online?

14. Your Digital Footprint
The web is public
 What happens online…stays online - forever
 In 140 characters your reputation can be destroyed
 Your online image and reputation is like driving; you have to lookout
for everyone around you
 Party pictures stays on Facebook
 Pictures can be passed on to someone you don’t know. You can
delete it, but if it was copied, it can stay online forever
 What are your friends sharing and tagging you in?
 Think before you share something online. Golden rule – “share it if
you want your grandmother to see it”
 You can't take something off the Internet – it's like taking
pee out of a pool.

15. Your Digital Footprint
What makes a good digital footprint?

16. Your Digital Footprint
What makes a digital profile standout?
 Your profile is easily searchable on Google and top social media
channels)
 All your online profiles have up to date information about you and
what you do
 You use a consistent message across all the channels you are using
 Can’t be a party animal on Facebook and on LinkedIn a pastor
 You display authenticity (communication skills)
 Other people trust you – credibility
 Positive mentions
 Own your own privacy (keep the settings up to date) - Facebook
 You are in a good neighborhood of friends and circles
 Everything that you do online (share, update, network)
adds to your digital footprint

17. Your Digital Footprint
A good digital footprint
If you had a good digital footprint…
 Display your professional profile online
 Your digital footprint supports your qualifications
 Display thought leadership
 Display expertise
 Reach millions of people searching for relevant
information
 Be an influencer
 Authenticity
 Credibility
 Trustworthiness

18. Your Digital Footprint
A bad digital footprint
If you had a bad digital footprint…
 Inconsistent social media profiles
 Give the wrong impression to others
 Negative influence
 Un trustworthy and not professional
 Display poor communication skills
 Won’t be considered by future employers as a suitable
candidate
 Get dismissed (fired) from your current position

19. Your Digital Footprint
Protecting reputations online in plain English

20. Your Digital Footprint
Building your digital resume
Start building your digital footprint
 View your name as a brand (people like to do business with real people)
 Use a consistent message across all your online profiles
 Use a professional photo
 Create a LinkedIn profile (digital resume) - 100% complete
 Add your qualifications
 Add your education
 Add skills
 Follow industry leaders / dream company to work for
 Clean up your Facebook and Twitter profile
 Start a blog (wordpress.com)
 Blog about your experience (thought leadership)
 Build credibility

21. Your Digital Footprint
Get found online

22. Your Digital Footprint
Get found online – Personal blog

23. Your Digital Footprint
Get found online – Digital Business Card

24. Your Digital Footprint
Get found online – Twitter

25. Your Digital Footprint
Get found online - LinkedIn

26. Your Digital Footprint
Possibilities

27. Your Digital Footprint
Possibilities – Hiremecarsonified.com

28. Your Digital Footprint
Possibilities – Hiremecarsonified.com

29. Your Digital Footprint
The Google job experiment – pay per click (PPC)

30. Your Digital Footprint
Questions?

31. THANK YOU!
Twitter: @AntonRSA
Blog: http://www.antonkoekemoer.com