Has Your Social Media Gotten too Controversial?

I’ve always strongly recommended that our social media be unemotional and fact based.

(I’m talking here to my business followers and not those who are convinced that their perennial, last place sports team will make the championships next year.)

Above all, we need to avoid controversy.

Let’s talk about this!

You know what I’m talking about.

Those rants that we see on social media about everything from the pandemic and politics to who uses which bathroom. 

I’m not referring to legitimate discussions or differences of opinion on these subjects, I’m talking about the hateful, often profanity laced flame wars that appear all too frequently on social media these days.

And, don’t get me started on fake news!

No one started social media to rip apart the social contract which has governed our society since the founding of the Republic.

(I want to be fair to Zuck.)

But, what started as an idealistic lark is on the verge of turning into something dark and ugly.

Some might argue that it already is.

I want to believe that it’s still not too late to pull out of the death spiral that social media appears to be in.

While I believe that social media channels like Facebook and Twitter bear a lot of responsibility for what’s going on, a lot has to do with its ordinary users, not to mention all the professional players who trying to play with our minds.

No secret, I spend a lot of time on social media.  After all, it’s how I earn my living.

(OK, you got me, those cat memes are kinda cute.)

What I often see are regular people who post innocent material which some troll or griefer responds to in a not so innocent way and, wham, the vitriol starts and goes on and on and on…

You get the picture. 

We have to be smarter than this.

One of the first and best rules I learned when I first started using social media was to never feed the trolls.

Best piece of advice that I ever received.

Sure, I’ve been baited and not just for my bad jokes.

I don’t respond and you shouldn’t either. 

When I see friends and clients who fall into that trap, I send them a private message asking why are they paying me my fees if they’re not going to listen to me?

Another good idea, if I do say so myself, if some crazy article does wind its way into your newsfeed (It can happen) then don’t share it to your community saying “Wow, look at this stupid stuff!”

It only spreads the insanity.

Whether the major social media players like it or not, they’re going to be held accountable ultimately.

The professional players who are gaming the system will their influence reduced one way or the other.

But, in the meantime, please list to me and…

“Don’t feed the trolls!”

That’s it for now!

Please check out my 8 step approach for developing a social media program for more ideas on how to use social media.

Also, never forget to reach out to either ask questions or to ask for help from someone like myself! In the meantime, thank you for following and reading my blog.

I look forward to any and all comments that you may have. I will reply to any comments made to this blog post as promptly as I can.

And, remember!

I do this for a living and if I can be of any assistance to either you or your organization, please feel free to call on me. Our initial discussion will be of no charge to you.

I can also be reached at conpsweeney@someddi.com