I met with a couple of bright young women today, eager to launch a new business and putting some early thought into social media strategy to support it. One of them expressed concern over committing a social media faux pas — or, as she called it, “social media suicide.”
I thought that was funny and said (truly, I’m not even making this up) that she’d just named the title of my next blog post. . . .
Here are five ways to avoid committing social media suicide:
- Think before you publish. Seriously. Sometimes, if you recognize you’re reacting in the heat of the moment, it’s best to let a reactive post sit overnight. Sleep on it. Often viewpoints are clearer the morning after.
- Be true to yourself. If you are consistent, believe in what you share and maintain control of your own account, there’s little to be sorry for.
- Pay attention to what’s being said. If a national disaster is occurring, don’t be the lone voice sharing your drivel about what you are having for lunch.
- Don’t (for the love of all that is good and holy) tweet, thinking you’re DMing, take pictures of your junk (of any variety) and share them online. Jeez!
- Don’t ignore reply messages, mentions of your brand, direct messages or other contact to give you a frame of reference for the tone of the conversation.
It seems pretty dramatic, but social media users are a ruthless bunch. Paying attention is important. See: Five Ways to Avoid a Social Media Spanking.