Have you ever experienced that awkward moment when you receive a Facebook friend request from a client? Before clicking "Accept," the contents of your entire Facebook profile probably flashed before your eyes.
A compromising photo album from your best friend's 35th birthday party in New York; that awful photo of you in a bathing suit from the neighborhood pool party last summer; the questionable post you shared about chocolate and men last week; and that business page that gives the best happy-hour drink recipes.
Did you "Accept" or "Ignore?"
If you choose to accept client friend requests, it is important to curate and organize the content to which your clients will have access. Facebook Lists allow users to achieve just that!
Lists allow Facebook users the ability to either grant or deny profile access to Facebook friends depending on the relationship you have with them.
Creating a list can be done at any time with new or existing Facebook friends. Individuals who are placed onto a list do not know they have been categorized, or that they are receiving limited access to a profile.
Users can take comfort knowing that their professional connections can be categorized and set-up to not have access to specific Facebook posts, photo albums, likes, and personal information.
To start using Facebook Lists:
1. Visit: https://www.facebook.com/bookmarks/lists
2. Click "Create List"
3. Create a List name (i.e. Professional)
4. Add Facebook Friends to the list
5. Click "Create"
6. Navigate to your personal photo albums
7. To change limit access to certain albums, click the small icon in the bottom-right corner
8. Select "Custom," then under Hide This Album From, choose "Professional"
9. Click "Save"
This specific photo album is visible to all Facebook Friends except those on the "Professional" list. This action must be repeated for all other photo albums, likes, posts, and personal information.
Utilizing Facebook Lists is a great way to control the information to which clients have access. Putting your best Facebook profile forward is an important step to managing your online brand.
(image: Facebook lists / shutterstock)