How Social Media Affects Your Image

As many of us are well aware, social media is now rampant in many aspects of our personal, as well as professional lives. However, what many of us are not aware of is just how strongly social media can influence those around us. Although we think our profiles are for our personal uses and for our friends, we often don't consider the many more subtle ways in which social media is used. Read ahead to discover some of the many ways that social media can affect your overall image.

Although we believe our privacy settings on sites like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter protect us we are unfortunately quite mistaken. No matter how private we think these sites are, we have no ownership rights over any photo or content we post to these online platforms. That being said, it's vital to ensure your social media profiles represent an image you can be proud of. Nowadays, it seems everyone asking, "Do you know so-and-so?" follows up this question by pulling up his or her Facebook and Instagram page. So if this is the first impression someone gets of you, make sure it's a good one. Although some photos are downright hilarious, others can be offensive, inappropriate, and rude. Remove any photos that fit these descriptions and save them for your personal computer files.

If someone comes across your social media site, the first thing they're prone to do is to browse your photos, and to read your bio. You want to make sure both of these things represent the true you, as they will ultimately translate into how people connect with you in person. Whether you're a travel fanatic, workout enthusiast, foodie, or dog lover, people look to your social media sites to see any possible connections they may have with you. Although we look to many users' sites and are immediately jealous and resentful of our own lives, it's important to remember that many "Insta famous" people are not in fact happy. They present blissful facades in order to attract followers, and often do not enjoy any of the activities they post that they claim to love. Take this as a lesson, and let your social media sites be a true reflection of who you are. There's nothing worse than connecting with someone in person and sputtering out lies to questions they ask about something you falsely claimed to enjoy on your sites.

If you take anything at all from reading this, I hope it's that you develop social media accounts that are true to who you are. Social media platforms were initially created as a personal means of sharing, expression, and to connect with friends. Somewhere along the way they got turned into tools for jealousy, low self-esteem, and harmful online activity. If you present photos and content which are honest reflections of yourself, you will convey an image to the world that you can be proud of. Although these sites should be designed with the personal user in mind, they often serve in creating the overall impression you give off to a wide network of people. So follow these points, acknowledge the issues, and present your social media platforms in a way that positively influence your personal image.