Most people don’t realize how fast they’re building a reputation online, and it’s the kind of reputation that people don’t talk about to your face. Usually, it’s the little things and weird habits that make people think differently about you.
Here are twelve things people do online that ruin their image. Which of these have you seen people do before?
Featured Image Credit: Kaspars Grinvalds/Shutterstock.com.
Constantly Editing or Deleting Old Tweets
Everyone changes their mind sometimes, and that’s totally normal. But some people feel like they have to scrub their entire timeline every few months, even though the internet has a way of remembering everything. Sites like the Wayback Machine don’t miss much. The cleanup doesn’t really fool anyone and makes people question what you have to hide.
Using LinkedIn to Humblebrag Every Week
“I’m thrilled to announce…” Yeah, we’ve heard, again and again. Posting constant humblebrags on LinkedIn gets old pretty quickly because it’s one thing to celebrate wins. It’s another when someone posts like they’ve just won an Oscar every Wednesday. Soon, it starts to feel like performance, not progress, which nobody wants to see.
Publicly Tagging Influencers to Get Attention
You’ve probably seen someone tagging a celebrity or influencer in a totally random post, hoping they’ll get a like or share. Most of the time, the celebrity has nothing to do with the post at all, and that makes it feel forced. When it keeps happening, people see it as attention-seeking behavior. Every post looks like it’s another way to get some clout.
Posting Vague Complaints
The “you know who you are” posts that some people share are usually accompanied by a blurry screenshot or a dramatic rant with no names. However, everyone close enough can fill in the blanks, even if the person posting is trying to be subtle. It just comes off messy. Worst of all, employers and clients can see this stuff, although they don’t always say anything.
Posting Screenshots of Private DMs Without Permission
Similarly, nobody likes seeing their private messages pop up on someone’s Story or feed, particularly when they didn’t even know it was being shared. It doesn’t matter if the names are blurred, or even if the person involved can’t see the message. Such behavior makes other people nervous to message you at all because they think you’ll expose them to the world.
Oversharing Emotional Posts For Likes
Everyone has tough days, and sharing your struggles with other people can be rather powerful. But when someone posts dramatic emotional dumps every few days, especially when they come with cryptic captions, it comes across as performative. Don’t be surprised if people unfollow you for this. It’s not interesting behavior.
Reacting to Every Trending Post With The Same Emoji Reply
Some users jump on every viral tweet or Reel just to comment a fire emoji or “let’s gooo,” despite the fact that it has nothing to do with their interests. Once or twice is fine because maybe they’re just expanding their interests. But when it’s every single post in their feed, it starts to look desperate, and everybody knows they’re thirsty for attention.
Liking Their Own Posts Across Multiple Burner Accounts
Creating backup accounts is fine, but it’s something else when those accounts all “coincidentally” like and comment on your main posts. They might say stuff like “so true” or “great point” on your posts only, and nobody else’s. It’s quite obvious what’s going on. Of course, the platforms themselves may not say anything, but people notice patterns, and once they see you’re promoting yourself, the trust is gone.
Auto-Posting Low-Quality Quotes
You’ve probably seen the same account sharing the same pastel-colored quotes every morning, like “Stay strong” or “Believe in yourself.” The fonts clash, and the advice feels generic, while the hashtags are from 2017. Most people stop paying attention after a while because these posts seem like a way to farm interaction. Put some thought into it, or don’t do it at all.
Spamming People With DMs
While you might think that sending a DM right after someone follows you is a good idea, it really isn’t. Most people aren’t excited to get a cold pitch two seconds after hitting “accept.” It’s even worse when it feels like a copy-paste sales script because it’s not personal, and certainly not welcome.
Over-Tagging Friends in Every Post
You post a picture of your lunch, and you’ve tagged your five friends in it, even though they weren’t there, and it wasn’t a group thing. It gets old after the third or fourth time. People start removing tags or just ignoring your stuff altogether because they’re tired of being dragged into random posts. Don’t lie.
Turning Comment Sections Into Arguments
Some people aren’t there to talk, and they’re there to win. You’ll see them in the comments of every viral post, sharing controversial opinions and arguing with everyone. The original post doesn’t even matter anymore. Most people stop engaging completely with these people, as it’s just not worth the headache.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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