Have you ever Googled yourself and found a really unflattering cringey party photo from your college days? You know the one – red solo cup in hand, eyes glazed with a perma-smile baked on your face. How on earth is that the number one result on Google images?
Well the reality is, you probably posted that image publically on social media years ago, when you thought it was epic, and now it’s come back to haunt you!
Living in a world where your employers and love interests can search you online and form a first impression with one click of a button, it’s important to check yourself before you wreck yourself (thank you Ice Cube).
Today I urge you to dive into your social channels whether it be all or one (Facebook, Instagram you name it) and give them a good scrub.
Here’s where you can start:
Photos of You and Your Ex
Are you actively on the dating scene? If you are, I suggest you sweep your Instagram photos of your ex and you coiled up in a blanket, or having the time of your lives on your last trip together. If someone interested in you, went to check your Instagram, they would think you’re still either in love with your ex, or worse, you’re still together! I understand photos can be sentimental, but those photos don’t currently reflect where you are in your life. Remember, you have these images tucked away privately in your phone, you don’t need the whole world to see that you have had relationships in the past. Another tip, make sure your status on Facebook is switched to Single!
Guard Your Tagged Photos
Ahhhh the photos we often forget about – the ones your friends tag you in where they look phenomenal, but somehow you’ve got quadruple chins and look like a hot mess. These photos can pop up on your Facebook timeline and have their own folder on your Instagram. You can easily remove yourself from a post on Instagram and hide a photo from your timeline on Facebook by following simple instruction on each of the apps. If that’s not enough, you can always ask your friend to crop you out of the photo or take it down altogether.
Photo by ian dooley on Unsplash
Purge Your Followers!
Do you currently follow your ex(es) on social and find yourself searching their feed more often than not? It’s time to call it quits and give them a big unfollow! You may fear this looks immature, but honestly it’s not, you’re doing it for your own wellbeing – out of sight out of mind. This small action will actually help you take big steps forward. Also, have you ever taken a good look at your followers list? Today, people are concerned with having a huge following, but are these really people you want to get a full glimpse into your personal life? I have 311 followers on my Instagram account and I purge every year depending on who I feel comfortable viewing photos of my cat…and all the other fun stuff in my life.
Some Things Just Don’t Age Well
Perhaps you’ve tweeted something or have posted a caption with what seemed to be totally fine in the year 2000, but looking back it’s quite offensive in this day in age. These words made public, can easily take a negative turn, especially if you’re gaining a high following on your social accounts. There are people who have tons of time in their day devoted to digging up the past and putting it on display for all to see. Catch these tweets before someone else does.
Keep the Bio Fresh
“Partying is my life” – Maybe you had this as your mantra when you first opened up your Instagram account, but perhaps your priorities have since changed? It’s always a good idea to keep your bio fresh with something that accurately depicts where you’re at in life, even if it’s just a fun quote or emojis of the things you enjoy doing!
Delete Old Accounts
Did you ever make multiple social handles on all the different platforms? Spring clean your online footprint and delete any old accounts that you currently don’t use or keep updated.
A couple other social housekeeping items to keep in mind, if you’re ever hesitant about posting something for fear it might offend your followers, it’s probably best to not post it, archive it for yourself. Also, take a look at what’s in the background of your photos. Sometimes we’re so focused on what’s in the foreground that we fail to see what items are laying around in the background.
