It’s no secret: social media has changed the way we communicate. And with the changes come new possibilities, but also new things to be weary of. It is important to be thoughtful of the image we project online, but social media doesn’t have to be a risk. Be your best self on social media and use it to your advantage.

As most of us engage with social media on a daily basis, it’s probably natural for you to incorporate your work into your interactions, especially if you’re in sales, marketing, or PR.

In her blog post, Being Engaged (in Social Media) and Your Career, Kimling Lam argues that you can engage in social media effectively to represent your brand, share knowledge, and learn (all words for being engaged) no matter which department you work in.

However, before you “professionally engage” in social media, there are some key things to keep in mind.  You have to know your audiences and it’s best to participate in your relevant social communities across multiple channels.  It’s important to be transparent when you’re online representing your brand in any way: state who you are and your affiliation with your brand immediately in the beginning of your blog comments and in your social profile.

Whether you have a profile on Twitter, Linkedin, Facebook, or all of the above, there are several factors to take into consideration to make sure you are your best self in social media. Jason Arican in our Boston office shared tips for building an online presence in his post Your Professional Online Presence: Look as Good as Me.  In her guest blog post Leverage the social web to advance your career, Amber Rae Lambke encouraged everyone to also start a blog as a form of personal expression – as a personal blog can say a lot more about who you are and what you believe in than anything else.

And Amber´s advice for anyone looking to grow or further develop their career? Put yourself out there via the social web. Why? Establishing a social identity will provide tremendous value in the short and long term.