david j. garcia

Beginner:

Get rid of some stuff. Now that everyone (including your boss, your mom, and your five-year-old) knows how to use Facebook, some things just don’t belong there. Specifically:

1. Embarrassing photos of yourself. If it’s in someone else’s album, just remove the tag. The photo still exists, but casual observers (and potential bosses) probably won’t see it.
2. Embarrassing photos of others. Do you really want to be that person?
3. TMI (”too much information”). We’re not interested in how long you spent in the bathroom today.

Add some stuff. Specifically:

4. A photo of you. It may be good for youngsters to have a picture of something other than their face. But no one will be able to tell me from all the other David Garcia’s if they can’t see who I am.
5. Friends!
6. Links. When your friends want to know what else you’re doing online, will they be able to find it?
7. Groups/fan pages. These tell people what you’re interested in (a way to connect), and many professions have groups to help you network. Take advantage.
8. Favorites. A tidbit about your favorite band might spark a conversation with another fan, which could, in turn, strengthen a relationship.
9. Contact information. Make it easy to reach you. You can always restrict who has access.

Intermediate:

10. Delete some applications. Most applications are, at best, unnecessary. At worst, they may be spamming your friends or selling your personal details. Choose your friends carefully and your applications even more carefully.
11. Increase your privacy settings for some things. This allows you to be more open with what you share. For example, I can include my home address on my profile, because it’s only available to a list of people I trust.
12. Decrease your privacy settings for other things. How can you expect to get the most out of Facebook if no one can find you? Back in the day, you couldn’t find my profile unless you went to BYU or knew one of my friends. Now that I use Facebook as a valuable networking tool, I’ve set parts of my profile (including my websites) as “visible to everyone.”
13. Join another network. This makes it you easier to find for people from your job, at your school, or in your area.
14. Use the “like” button. It’s a simple way to let someone know that you noticed: liking is the new “poke.”
15. Comment. If you have something to say, say it. Think about how good you feel when people talk about what you posted. Now do that for others.
16. Post more photos. When you’re getting to know someone on Facebook, where do you look? Their photos, of course. They do the same.
17. Get a better profile picture. Don’t have a good photo of yourself? Grab a friend and a camera, go outside, and take some! It’s a fun activity.
18. Post links. But only really good links. Otherwise, your updates will get the “hide friend” treatment.

Advanced:

19. Watch out for imposters. It’s possible to pull info from a MySpace page and use it to creating a convincing (but malicious) profile on Facebook. Never assume that your friend network is airtight.
20. Disconnect Twitter. You heard me. I love Twitter. But linking your Facebook and Twitter accounts is redundant and a sure-fire way to annoy both audiences. Twitter followers don’t need that self-serving “#fb” hashtag, and your Facebook friends will just end up hiding your updates. Keep ‘em separate. If something’s important enough to post in both places, then post it in both places separately.
21. Get an eye-catching profile picture. If you want a custom photo like mine, here’s how. Or we can make a deal, and I’ll edit your photo for you. Just ask!
22. Finally, get your own vanity url. Something like http://facebook.com/DavidJGarcia. In the past, the only way to send someone directly to your facebook page was with a complicated link (http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=17817624) or a redirect (facebook.davidjgarcia.com). Starting this weekend, however, all that changes. You’ll be able to register for www.facebook.com/yourname. The catch? You’ve got to get it before anyone else. This may create a virtual land rush, so make sure you get yours before you’re stuck with something like facebook.com/doej0hn72 (further reading).

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You absolutely won’t want to miss tomorrow’s post! It’s an exclusive audio interview with Brooke Eddington, managing editor and account executive at Xposure Inc. She’ll share her valuable insight on diversity PR. This is a hot topic, and Brooke has some amazing, timely advice.