7 Nitty Gritty Tips for Managing Your Online Identity

Leaving a job reminds you of the nitty-gritty details involved in maintaining an online presence. If you lost your job this very minute — along with your work PC — would you still have full control of your online tools?

I’ve learned some valuable lessons about managing my online identity in one week as a free agent. To extend Chris Brogan’s “passports and outposts” analogy, I’ve learned to keep my passports in a safe deposit box. Here’s what I mean:

Don’t Use Your Work Email Address
Changing the address linked to your profiles on dozens of platforms is a pain. Avoid the hassle: Set up a Google account and use that address for all platforms. If you’re forced to leave a job on short notice, your online identity goes with you. And speaking of Google…

Get Your Google House in Order
Google owns your life online: Analytics for your blog, Groups for collaboration, Calendar to stay organized, Reader for RSS feeds. Make sure your Google tools  are synched to work together. It’s akin to a car tune-up: Engine, steering, brakes, etc. each need individual attention, but they need to work together for your car to perform at its peak.

Store Your Passwords Somewhere 
Internet security buffs recommend a different password for each service you use. Riiiiiiight. Most of us use the same password everywhere. Still, some sites require quirky passwords. Do you have them all memorized? I doubt it. And the “Recover my password” link won’t help if the password recovery email goes to a work address you can no longer access.

Go Mobile
Once you’re on your own, you’ll realize you took accessibility for granted sitting at a desk all day. Equip your mobile devices (cell phone, laptop, etc.) with the apps you need (Twitterberry, anyone?) to stay connected whether you’re at Starbucks, on the road, or lunching in the park.

Leave No Network Behind
Brand consistency matters, even for your personal brand. Do you portray yourself the same on LinkedIn as on Facebook? What about your Ning communities? If you’re rebranding yourself after a job change, check everywhere you have a profile. Multiple identities may confuse those who search for you.

Synch Your Networks
If we converse on Twitter, I want to connect on LinkedIn, Facebook, etc….anywhere I spend time online. My logic: If we need to reach each other, we shouldn’t have to play online phone tag. Hopping from one site to another because your networks aren’t redundant (in a good way) wastes time.

Give Them Closure
The larger your network, and the more channels you use, the easier it is to lose track of your conversations. Be diligent. Focus. If someone sends you a lead, be sure to thank them. Send a personal follow-up if their leads yield results. Remember, it’s about lasting relationships, not “use ‘em and leave ‘em.”

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