First impression online

LinkedIn experts by day, Instagram free spirits by night: which one stands out?

In the age of digital communication, online first impressions can significantly influence how individuals and brands are perceived. These initial perceptions are often based on minimal cues, which can lead to quick judgments about a person or business. This concept has profound implications for digital marketing, where the ability to manage online personas effectively can determine the success of personal and business brands.

The digital age has transformed how we present ourselves, and for marketers, managing first impressions online is crucial.

The power of Online Presentation

When engaging in any online context, from social media to professional networking sites like LinkedIn, the way we choose to present ourselves is influenced by multiple factors:

1. Motivational Role: The purpose behind our online presentation dictates our strategy. For example, on LinkedIn, where the goal is often to find a job, the presentation is more formal and career-focused. Sometimes, motivational roles create a split personality.

On LinkedIn, everyone seems like a successful, driven professional on a relentless upward trajectory. Meanwhile, on Instagram, that same person transforms into a free-spirited traveler, irresponsibly spending money on beach vacations and late-night adventures. It’s the perfect blend of “work hard, play harder.”

2. Contextual Role: Different online platforms require different approaches. Users of Facebook, Twitter, or even fitness apps employ different strategies depending on whether they are seeking friends, career opportunities, or health advice.

Platforms like Strava showcase different contexts. A cyclist might log a 50km ride titled, "Hills and coffee: cyclist fuel!" Sharing this on LinkedIn as, "Today I cycled 50km to train my body and resilience," might feel out of place but could inspire fitness peers on Strava.

3. Personality Role: Authenticity is key, especially when online networks overlap with offline ones. If someone is introverted in real life, this trait often becomes visible in their online behavior. This is why maintaining an authentic representation is critical in digital marketing strategies. Discrepancies between online and offline personalities can be amusing.

For instance, have you ever met someone bold and witty on Twitter but shy and reserved in person? This mismatch underscores the importance of aligning your online persona with reality.

In digital marketing, this phenomenon of first impressions is amplified. Since online interactions lack non-verbal cues like body language, it's harder to convey warmth, often resulting in a "cold" impression. To mitigate the lack of non-verbal communication online, emojis and emoticons have become integral to online interactions.

This reinforces the need for marketers to carefully consider the use of emojis in campaigns. In email marketing, for example, adding a well-timed emoji can soften a request or make a message more approachable, while its absence may leave communication feeling cold or impersonal.

💡 Takeaways for marketers:

1. Understand your audience's preferences: Overusing emojis can seem unprofessional in some contexts, while underusing them may come across as too formal. Tailor your approach to your target audience.

2. Be strategic with placement: Use emojis to emphasize key points, break up dense text, or add warmth to a message without overwhelming it.

3. Test and analyze: Experiment with A/B testing to see how the inclusion or exclusion of emojis impacts engagement and open rates in your campaigns.

4. Maintain consistency with tone: Ensure that the emojis you choose align with your brand voice and the tone of the message, avoiding mixed signals.

5. Leverage cultural understanding: Emojis can be interpreted differently across cultures; choose symbols that resonate universally or consider localized campaigns.

When used thoughtfully, emojis can bridge the gap between online formality and emotional connection, making first impressions more impactful and relatable.