Do you feel safe?

What if I told you that the information you put into your online profiles gives marketers the code to communicating with you?

Does this seem scary? Depending on the marketer, the information that is in your profile will either make all the difference in the world. Or absolutely none at all.

But either way, you’re going to win.

And here’s why.

Most social networks require that you create a profile.

A basic profile will ask for your age, gender, location, sexual preference, religion, education, and depending on the network, income range, or where you previous and present employer.

Marketing empires dominated using less information than this for years.

And you and I both know that it doesn’t end there.

Favorite books, movies, television shows, musical interests, are not only common, they’re damn near required. Friends and Family will hound you until you give a complete understanding of who you are in your social network profile.

This isn’t just a social network profile. This represents a very significant piece of your psychological profile.

This is your media consumption profile.

The most successful brands are referred to as though they are a real person, or a celebrity.

This is not an accident.

Every bit of data we enter into our profiles identifies another aspect of our personalities. To become well-established, a brand must have the goal of identifying and resonating with at least one aspect of our personalities. That way, when you have a need to be fulfilled, you look to one brand over another, time and again.

When analyzed throughly and thoughtfully, various elements of the individual’s personality can be extracted and categorized. Inputting your favorite book into your “interests” on Facebook does more than verify that you’re a reader, it provides a glimpse into what holds your attention, entertains you and engages you. For example, do you prefer mystery? Romance? Comedy? Do you prefer classic literature or follow the New York Times bestseller’s list?

You are telling not just other individuals, but businesses and marketers the best way to capture your interest and connect with you. Brand characters are created as company emissaries in order to bring their large corporate framework down to a personal, human level.

If they do their research and can integrate what they find, their message is a bajillion more times likely to stand out in your social streams.

Alright let’s do an exercise. I’ll use my Facebook profile to demonstrate the first two steps of the process:

With this information can you determine what products would appeal to me?

Let me know in the comments below.