Social Media Conduct

Social Networking is an important aspect of our day to day lives. Whether you use your social media outlets for personal or professional use, it’s important to limit what you post and understand what you’re hoping to gain from your social networking experience. If your hoping to gain followers and promote your work and business, it’s crucial you stay professional.

1.Connecting: Let people know who you are and what you want

It’s important to let people know why you wish to connect with them. By doing so you can form an online friendship that could end up benefiting you. Maybe you connect with an artist who wants to collaborate. Maybe you can connect with a potential employer. It’s good to know who’s watching what you post.

2. Follow, add, friend: Want to be besties?

I have 2 separate uses for social media. I use certain platforms to stay informed on people in my life and keep up with what is happening in their lives, and allow people to see what is going on in mine. So, for social media networks like Facebook, I will only add people I know or have met. I don’t use facebook to network or promote my work, rather for personal use.

When I do use social media to network and promote myself, I will add anyone who friends me. It’s important to get your work and yourself out there as much as possible so requesting friends and adding as much people as possible is the best way possible to do so.

3. Privacy, boundaries and safety: Make sure to edit what you say

As I’m getting closer to my career path, It’s crucial that I limit what I post. I want to be known as a professional and a responsible young adult, so I definitely limit what I post on certain social media networks. I make sure not to post anything offensive, as well as watch my grammar. It’s important to keep your personality though and not edit yourself too much.

On facebook, I do post things I wouldn’t necessarily post to public social media websites.

4. Signal to noise: TMI, girl

Some people post way too much information to their social media sites. People are judgemental, especially over the internet, so when you post certain things that make you look immature and questionable it allows people to form an even more judgmental opinion on your character and who you are. The material and content you post to your social media websites are telling of your character and beliefs,  so it’s crucial you limit it and be careful what you post.

5. Personal data and sharing: Can I get your address?

I limit a lot of my information depending on what platform I’m using. When using a social media network to promote myself and my work, I will share my location and age, but wouldn’t share my cell phone number or address. On facebook I do display my number but only because I don’t add people I’ve never met.

6. My networking needs and uses: What do I want to gain from this?

I use facebook for personal use. It’s a great way to stay connected with the people in your life.

I use twitter to connect with local firms and designers, as well as people from around the world. It’s a great tool to use to allow people to get a sense of who you are, and your personality.

The Best.

AndyChung.ca

Andy Chung, a designer and illustrator located in Vancouver, BC, Canada takes an incredibly minimal and simplistic approach with the design of his website, and I can’t help but love it. Personally speaking I think when displaying your work, you shouldn’t clutter and overdo the overall design of your website, but rather focus on letting your work be displayed in a clean & organized manner.  Andy Chung displays all of his work on one page, using thumbnails to guide viewers to a larger version of his pieces that are accompanied with a description of the piece below. The site is easy to navigate, and the work really stands out and is displayed beautifully.

JesseAuersalo.com

Jesse Aurersalo is an incredibly innovative illustrator. His personal portfolio website stays true to the style of his illustrations. His illustrations remind me of photographs you’d see in a fashion magazine. His website allows you to click to the left or right and as you do, it scrolls and highlights the piece of work you just clicked, almost as if you’re flipping through an online magazine. Jesse set up his website to ensure the viewer is solely focusing on his works of art, and nothing more. On the top left is a box with a link to information about him and a link to his shop. He leaves unnecessary elements out of his website and draws the viewer into his work. The website is successful, in my opinion, because I’m drawn into his world and his style of illustration. The website truly compliments his aesthetic.