Even though it is clear that social media such as Twitter, Facebook and Youtube are effective tools for marketing I have occasionally met business people who dismiss all social media platforms as part of a ‘Big Brother’ conspiracy, as big corporation and/or governmental mechanisms for monitoring people.
In the light of revelations regarding surveillance of internet use by the US National Security Agency its worth thinking about how you might provide the minimum of personal information to register with the likes of Facebook and Twitter.
Facebook Page
Facebook Page is distinct from the Facebook the ordinary punter knows it. Facebook Page is where your business or organisation is the focus of attention. It is also a platform where readers in contrast to Facebook Profile, needn’t be logged on to Facebook or be friends to see all the information and posts you provide there.
Facebook Page should be the choice of business people wanting to use Facebook to tap a 800 million user market but to get a Facebook Page you must have a Facebook (Profile) account. But fear not, there is no need to provide information beyond your name and an e-mail address to register with Facebook. Information you choose to add to your Facebook Profile is entirely optional. Leaving it largely blank you can move on immediately to setting up a Facebook Page.
Even the personal info you provide to register with Facebook Profile needn’t be particularly revealing. Create a new e-mail account on Yahoo or Gmail specifically and exclusively for registering with social media platforms using a pseudonym or the name of your business. You might even, if you so wish, provide a false date of birth too.
You can have as many twitter accounts as you have e-mail addresses. The information you provide at registration can be the same as that used to register on Facebook. Your Twitter username can be anything you like so long as it hasn’t already been snaffled by someone else first. Your twitter profile will only contain whatever you choose to put in it.
Youtube
What goes for Facebook and Twitter goes for Youtube too. Using your registration e-mail and name to set up a channel you can control the information revealed.
…General rule
The fact is that no businesspersons need reveal anymore than they wish when engaging with social media as long as they
• Create an e-mail address specifically for registration
• Create usernames that are non-person specific
• Only post or upload information they wish to post
