Looking after your blogging brand

Kirsten Thompson

#WonderLondon September 2015

Love lock by Tekke | CC BY-ND 2.0

Bloggers work hard to build an online presence and reputation, to get noticed and build successful relationships with audiences, brands and PRs. That positive reputation can be at risk if it’s not protected. Come along and consider how to: •  Review your blogging brand and digital footprint •  Take measures to improve the security of your blog and

social profiles •  Reduce the risk of getting in trouble with the law – or

being sued •  Develop a strategy to keep your blogging brand in check

About

Blogs in education: 10yrs Brand ambassador for 3yrs Travel blogging: 5yrs Taught media, film, advertising, marketing + communications University of Leeds: 8yrs staff development: •  Webmaster for 30+ WordPress sites •  E-learning development, training + support •  Social media + digital identity management training LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/kirstent

A little about me…

Slides will be available online with links to more resources + linked from my travel blog: kookytraveller.com I’m not legally trained = I’m not providing legal advice We can’t cover everything I’m not affiliated with any products or services There is no one-size-fits-all strategy – “choose your own adventure” J

Before we start…

By the end of the session you should be better able to: 1.  Review your blogging brand and digital footprint 2.  Improve the security of your web presence 3.  Reduce the risk of getting in trouble with the law

(or being sued) 4.  Develop a strategy to monitor your blogging

brand

Outcomes

1.  Your blogging brand + digital footprint

2.  Security

3.  Compliance

4.  Develop your strategy

Outline

1. Your blogging brand + digital

footprint

Your digital identity = everything about you on

the web Verified / non-verified –

both important

Who manages your digital identity?

Some companies create profiles for

us by scraping public information

on the web – inaccurate and

merging identities.

How do you currently

manage your blogging brand + digital footprint?

Are you feeling lucky?

Think like a search engine – be the top of your own search results, not just your blog/niches search results.

What will you find?

Use Google Alerts to keep updated on what others are saying about you (your work, project etc) on the web. It won’t search everything, but can assist in managing your digital identity.

You can manage your digital identity + brand, you cannot control it

2. Security

What else are you sharing? WHOIS database Location services Social media privacy Apps + privacy Mobile device security

Who do you trust? How do you verify who you are talking to online? Who do you add on Facebook? Who has your mobile phone number?

Consider… •  Using official mobile apps + trusted third-party apps – check

reviews, ToS + privacy policies.

•  Are your mobile devices secure? What info are you giving away if your device is lost/stolen? Is your device set up for remote wiping?

•  A service or App might be secure, your internet access might not be.

•  Do you need to remain logged into all apps at all times? Think about your web history too.

•  Unused accounts at risk – monitor or close

Consider… •  Fragment your identity: you do not need to manage your

entire digital life via one or two email address.

•  Check your privacy settings. •  Beef up your security.

•  Use a password vault to make it easier to manage.

•  Be wary of hackers, account cloning, phishing scams, rogue links.

Ion, Reeder, Consolvo (2015) “...no one can hack my mind”: Comparing Expert and Non-Expert Security Practices [online]. Last accessed 03/09/15 https://www.usenix.org/system/files/conference/soups2015/soups15-paper-ion.pdf

For self-hosted websites: Add a security plugin + set it up •  iThemes •  Securi •  WordFence

Back-up your site Remove plugins + themes not in use Site access: Who really needs to be able to login? Do all contributors really need admin access? Use a spam filter + moderate

iThemes

3. Compliance

“Don’t say (or do) anything you wouldn’t on 5 Live.” Rory Cellan-Jones

Social media = public Separate personal and professional, makes each presence more useful to your networks You’re not anonymous on social media – dangerous to think you are Impact of liking, re-tweeting

Personal vs. Professional

Consider… •  Copyright + IP

•  Defamation

•  Electronic mail marketing

http://roniloren.com/

https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-pecr/electronic-and-telephone-marketing/electronic-mail-marketing/

ASA ruling on Mondelez: https://www.asa.org.uk/Rulings/Adjudications/2014/11/Mondelez-UK-Ltd/SHP_ADJ_275018.aspx#.VeovxVfF9qp

http://news.uk.msn.com/uk/twitter-trolls-u-turn-after-users-threaten-to-tell-his-mum

Case: Lord McAlpine falsely accused Alleged offence: Libel Case: Twitter users name victim of rape by footballer Ched Evans Offence: The Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1992 Case: Social media users circulated alleged pictures of child killer Jon Venables Alleged offence: Contempt of Court

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-20782257

Case: Juror Joanne Fraill contact defendant in trial by Facebook Offence: Contempt of Court Case: Paul Chambers joked on Twitter that he would blow up Robin Hood Airport Offence: Sending a “menacing electronic communication” under the 2003 Communications Act Case: Reading man Sean Duff mocks dead children on social media sites Offence: Making “grossly offensive” comments under the Malicious Communications Act 1988

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-20782257

accidentaloutlaw.knowthenet.org.uk

Existing laws apply online as they do offline – new Defamation Act 2013 (good news). BBC Defamation article Only share information when you have permission and obtain permission to publish someone else’s work Avoid making comments and being supportive of the comments or actions of others, if they could get you in trouble. Everything shared on social media, regardless of privacy settings can be captured. Educate your social network – your “private” Facebook Timeline is only as secure as the devices you/your Facebook “friends” use. Put simply…think first, share second

Keep updated

about online safety

and the law

www.thatsnonsense.com/

4. Develop your strategy

1.  What will you include in your strategy?

2.  What changes (if any) do you need to implement right away?

3.  How will you deal with issues that arise?

4.  What do you need to go away + learn more about?

Homework…J

Thank you Questions?