What to Include in Your Online Business Profile
In today’s world where technology makes it possible to find a lot of information on someone just by searching their name online, it is important to keep a positive, professional profile, especially if you do business online.
Why You Should Consider Showcasing Your Profile
There are numerous reasons why you should consider creating an online profile, but mainly to showcase who you are, what you have accomplished, and what you can offer potential clients.
In addition, having an online portfolio helps build people’s trust, respect, and commitment. It would make purchasing your products or using your services so much easier if people knew more about you as the seller or provider. Therefore, creating an online portfolio and showcasing your profile makes sense. Even if you have a website with an “about me” page, the website is promoting your products and services, not you.
What to Include in Your Business Profile
When creating your online profile it is best to highlight your achievements and personal goals such as your education, work history, awards, acceptances, promotions, and where you want to go from here. You should also include a few recent, professional photos of yourself and maybe even throw in a picture of you with the family to show you are a family-oriented person. This helps to build trust and respect of prospective clients and customers.
How to Create an Online Profile
Creating an effective online profile doesn’t take much. Here are the steps to take:
- Start by finding a site to host your information
There are a few options to choose from for hosting your profile online. If you already have a host for your website, chances are your hosting plan includes an “x” amount of websites that you can use, so be sure and check with your hosting provider.
If not, you can get a cheap personal website. Avoid using an obviously free web host like blogger.com and wix.com, since these tend to include their name in your website address and their ads on your site..
The final option — also the best option — is to use a site that hosts profiles of individuals and organizations like Crunchbase. Here is a profile of an active board member that you can view as an example.
- Add Important Elements
There are some important elements that you should consider adding to your business profile. One of the most important elements is to tell everyone what sets you apart from the rest and why they should use your services or products. Next add links to your social media pages such as Facebook, Twitter, Linked, or other.
- Add a Good Profile Photo
Finally, add a clear, recent photo of yourself to your page. This is a very important addition to your profile portfolio. Be sure to use a good photo with a clear view of you from the waist up. Most individuals have a professional photo taken of themselves specifically for the purpose of creating a professional-looking business profile.