You may have heard about a few social media snafus that have happened recently: Kenneth Cole’s “joke” about the Egyptian uprising and HubSpot’s “joke” about Internet knowledge in Detroit (if not, just google them). Ever since news has been broadcast, back even to town criers and bards, what’s been said has been taken out of context and made into “sound bites”. It’s even more prevalent now with the 140 character limit on Twitter and the almost instantaneous distribution of news on the Internet. Not to mention the ability of the audience to actually respond and talk among themselves (also instantaneously). These cautionary tales may scare off the business hoping to enter the world of social media, but, not to worry, you can avoid the pitfalls of the 140 character sound bite with a little common sense.
Everything is Public
Treat everything you say online as public information. Think of yourself on a stage with millions of people watching (if we’re only so lucky). While people may or may not be actively listening to you, act like they are. Even a comment on a closed community can make it out into the wild. If you treat everything online like it’s on the front page of the New York Times, you’re less likely to say something you may regret later.
In Person Online
Technology has a way of sometimes distancing us from, not only our audience, but also those we’re speaking about. If you converse online the same as you would if the people were standing in the same room, you’ll think more about how they might respond to your comments.
Expect Response
If you do say something that may be controversial, expect a response. Even if it’s just one person online, that one person may (will!) speak with many more in person. Be ready to handle the response to anything you post or say online (or offline).
Be Respectful
Don’t be a jerk. Don’t say things just to get people riled up. We all have opinions and it’s great that they differ (how boring would it be if we all agreed?), but be respectful when disagreeing with someone or stating your opinion. Even when people disagree, the tone of the conversation will be more reasonable.
Be Apologetic
Everyone makes mistakes. If you say something that is taken the wrong way, apologize (respectfully). Try to explain what you meant and learn from your mistake.
Think Before you Tweet
Just taking a few seconds to think about what you’re about to post can really save trouble later (especially if you’re representing a company or brand). That’s not to say you should never have opinions or post new ideas that others may disagree with, just be respectful and think about what you’re about to say. Don’t be a jerk.
Thoughts?
(photo by Hamed Saber, on Flickr)