Remember, Your Social Media IS Your Personal Brand
The day after Election Day, I heard the most remarkable thing. People were arguing over an extremely offensive, very biased post that had found its way onto Facebook following the announcement of the election results.
I’m not going to name names or point fingers. I was, however, appalled to hear the response given by the poster in question.
“What’s the big deal? It’s just a Facebook post.”
Oh Dear Dear Dear Dear Dear
There’s been a great deal of publicity lately regarding the damage that social media posts have done to personal brands. The Chrysler employee’s Tweet about Detroit drivers. The Red Cross employee who accidentally tweeted her intention to get “slizzerd” on the company’s page. Ann Coulter’s comment about President Obama being a “retard.”
The important thing to remember, as you’re embarking on your social media marketing journey, is that each and every post that you post on your social media page has received your personal endorsement. There’s no such thing as “just a Facebook post.” What you put on your social media pages is a reflection of who you are, what you stand for, and what action you’re going to take in the future.
That might not be the way you meant it, but it’s how your clients are going to see it. Every post on your social media pages is a reflection of your personal brand. A careless statement can alienate a large percentage of your consumer base. A single tweet in the wrong place at the wrong time can cause an incredible amount of damage to your campaign.
And I’m not even going to talk about what the public thinks of using current events as keywords to put your tweets on the Trending list. I don’t think there’s anyone that would disagree it was both pointless and tacky.
Think Before You Post
If you wouldn’t say it during a speech to your major shareholders, or when sitting down at the dinner table with your parents, don’t say it to your social media audience. If you wouldn’t shout to the rooftops that you support that viewpoint, don’t put it on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+ or anywhere else.
The Internet does not create an insular environment completely separated from the outside world. What appears on your page is the person and company your readers are going to believe you are. Make sure that’s somebody you want to be.
Author Bio: Renee Malove got her start in marketing working as a part time copywriter in college. Since then, she’s had the chance to work with authors, small businesses and corporations all around the globe looking to make a splash out on the web. You can reach Renee via email at rmalove@gmail.com and on Twitter at @rmalove.
