Directorate of Partnerships, Alumni, and Global Initiatives Universitas Gadjah Mada hosted Career Webinar #2: Social Media Branding. This event was held on Sunday (15/8) through the Zoom Meeting Room. Approximately 30 UGM alumni attended the webinar.
Director of the Directorate of Partnership, Alumni, and Global Initiatives, Dr. Danang Sri Hadmoko, S.Si., M.Sc. commenced the event. He remarked that technological advances, especially social media, slightly shifted the way companies and institutions convey information. In this day and age, social media is used as a marketing tool and as a branding for many private companies, state-owned enterprises, and government institutions. He continued that alumni shall start branding themselves through social media as their portfolios, which he believes will be helpful to pursue a professional career.
The first speaker was drg. Dian Nirmalasari, owner of Forbeau Dental and Skincare. She explained that showing positive things in every post on social media is a must for alumni. They must truly understand the content to post, which will be their branding. For example, they can post their works, professional work/career activities, business promotion (marketing), or simply sharing information and education. She also shared tips on uploading images on social media. The images should be accompanied by positive and captivating captions or narratives.
Agus Supriyo, S.Hut., Chairman of the DPD AELI Yogyakarta (Regional Representative Council of Assosiation of Experiential Learning Indonesia), stated that it is totally possible to do self-branding through social media. Branding is any effort to create a perception and be noticed. Currently, social media is a feasible medium for self-branding as it is cheap and reaches wider audiences. Furthermore, one can express creativity in various ways such as photos and videos on social media. In addition, the users can also easily interact with other people with the multiple features available on each social media platform.
He elaborated on several steps in creating a brand image through social media. First, plan carefully what you are going to post on social media. It can be about hobbies, daily activities, work, or professionalism in a career. Second, identify the social media platform you want to use and positively make the most of it. Then, be consistent in each social media account and create creative and educative content for the public. On top of that, building networking with friends/followers and influencers will be a plus value in self-branding, especially in social media.
He also highlighted that we must be careful and wise in using social media because the public can easily access our track record. Do not let the digital footprint hinder our career path goal. He then emphasized that it is very important for us to understand, create and evaluate our posts on social media.
[Alumni Relations/Article: Conney, Photo: Anas]