Today is the perfect day to update your user profile on the various sites you’re a member of. I recently logged into Goodreads for the first time in a while. I checked out my profile and realized I had listed my old site URL (journal.alice-anderson.com) instead of my current one (www.alice-anderson.com). So I corrected that. Then I double checked the rest of the information. I hadn’t included a bio! So I added that. I went ahead and added a few books I’m currently reading.

It’s a good idea to check your user profiles once every six months to make sure your information (name, URL, email, bio, booklist) is up to date. Where should you update your profile? Start with myspace, goodreads, facebook, twitter, yahoo, shelfari, and work your way down through all the sites you’re a member of.

If that’s overwhelming, start by making a list of the sites you’re a member of.

1. Just open Notepad or Wordpad and start jotting down the sites off the top of your head. Save this to your desktop so you can update it frequently.
2. Next, list the URL (web address) to each of your accounts next to the Site Name. IE. Twitter –

   ” title=”http://www.twitter.com/allyanderson

” target=”_blank”>www.twitter.com/allyanderson

3. Update this over the course of a week or two by adding new sites and addresses that you think of. When you get a notification via email from another site you’re a member of, add that to the list. Don’t forget writing organizations, blogs, and message boards.
4. Then divide this list as evenly as possible into six groups. If you’re a member of a lot of sites, your groups will be bigger. In your file separate the groups by a blank line or two.
5. Then above each group write down two months. January & July, February & August, March & September, April & October, May & November, June & December.
6. You will then check & update your profile and/or content on each of your sites/profiles during the months listed for that group.

Example

October & April

Twitter (www.twitter.com/allyanderson)

Myspace (www.myspace.com/allyranderson)

Facebook (www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1582601812&ref=profile)

Goodreads  (www.goodreads.com/allyanderson)

Then, in your calendar write yourself a note each month to go and update your profiles. You’ll have your file with your addresses handy and a list of what you’re supposed to update each month. This list should save you time in the future and easy the stress of having to remember what sites you belong to and when you last updated your info.

What to update?

• It depends on the site. If you’re a member of a forum/message board, don’t forget to update your signature.
• Make sure your URL is always current.
• Make sure your email address is current.
• Do you need to update your bio?
• Do you have a new hobby, favorite TV show, band? Update your favorites.
• View your profile from the front to see if there’s anything else you need to update.

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