Choosing the right avatar 'is crucial to social media success'

14:30 17th April 2009

Businesses seeking to use social media and blogs to raise brand awareness among internet users have been advised to develop a clear and consistent avatar strategy.

Writing for the Search Engine Journal, Ann Smarty insisted that choosing the right avatar when using online social networking tools is crucial for both companies and individuals.

She pointed out that the image someone chooses to adopt creates a first impression of their own personal brand among other users on the site.

For this reason, Ms Smarty advised businesses to follow a number of simple rules to make their avatar stick and ensure their brand remains in the mind of consumers.

She suggested using a white or neutral background and refraining from using images that are too abstract or creative, adding that people should not try too hard to stand out.

Instead, Ms Smarty advised adopting one and the same avatar at each site they join in order to become noticed and recognised across the web.

However, she suggested steering clear of choosing the company logo as an avatar, claiming that social media success is much easier to come by "if you brand yourself as a person instead of the company".

According to Vishnu Mahmud of the Jakarta Post, social media and networking sites provide a "virtual pot of gold" for businesses to communicate with customers and increase brand awareness.