Do you ever go back and read your Facebook Status updates or your Twitter stream? 

If you don’t, go do it right now….I’ll wait…..

Did you do it?  What did you see? 

Reviewing of your status updates is like looking yourself in the mirror.  Without self-reflection, you don’t have insight as to how others are perceiving you.  Even if you are mostly using social media for personal reasons, your status updates can leak over and affect your business reputation.  Marketing is all about perception.

An interesting, visually appealing way to see your status updates is to use wordle.  Click on the picture at right to see my Twitter Wordle.  I created this by first bringing my Twitter stream into http://www.tweetstats.com, and then converting it to this visual using http://www.wordle.net.  (Thanks to @unmarketing for the idea, which I got from his blog)

There are times when I don’t like what I see in my social media profiles, and I simply adjust.  But there are some people that I’d bet never look back at their own updates.  If they did, they’d probably change what they post.  Many of these “culprits” are friends and family members who I adore, and I don’t think are “bad” — but I wonder if others who know them less well are getting the wrong impression.  These are the 5 potentially damaging pattens that I see.  Please let me know if you have any to add.

5 Patterns to Watch Out For

1. Too Much Drinking:  If you sign off every night with… “COCKTAIL HOUR, PAR-TAY TIME, or It’s WINE-THIRTY!” Some people might think (rightly or wrongly) that you are boozing it up every night, which might affect your ability to get hired.
2. Too Much Play: If you are constantly posting quizzes you’ve taken, playing Farmville or other games, and you are trying to build a professional reputation, people might not get the impression that you’re serious…especially if you are playing during business hours.
3. Too Much Work: People have differing styles as to how much is too much, but if you are constantly in SELL, SELL, SELL, PUSH, PUSH, PUSH mode, you are probably working at it way too hard, and I’d bet your profile is being hidden by lots of people.
4. Too Much Whining:  We all need a shoulder to cry on from time to time, but some people might as well have, I’M A VICTIM plastered on their profile.  Life can’t be all bad, can it?  The extremists in this category leave you to guess what’s wrong.  Their status updates are vague, “Why me?!” pleas for sympathy. 
5. Too Offensive:  Religion. Politics. Sex. Drugs. Swearing. Inappropriate Pictures. Do I really need to remind you that your social media posts are going down on your permanent record?  Some people will be offended…especially if you are attacking others.  You might not care.  It’s your choice, but just go into it with eyes wide open knowing that choices have consequences.

What about you?  What patterns do you see that others might not notice?