Have you ever changed your opinion about someone because of a social media posting they made? The past five days have provided many opportunities for social media suicide starting with the Royal Wedding and ending with the death of Osama bin Laden. The behaviour of the masses is predictable as watching waves roll onto the beach.
First Wave The Announcement
There's no such thing as a scoop anymore. Breaking news happens in real time. I found out about the death of Osama bin Laden on Twitter. (In fact, any time you see the name of a famous person trending on Twitter it's a good bet they've passed away.) Within seconds of the first report, everyone on Twitter is sharing links or retweeting news.
Second Wave The Reaction
On the heels of the announcement, people begin to post their personal reaction to the event. Whether good or bad, people want their emotions to be on record. It's also the first opportunity for you to offend someone in your network with a personal reaction to a public event.
Third Wave Making an Impression
My mother used to warn, "Don't get cute" meaning she'd had enough nonsense from my siblings and me. I see the same thing happen in social networking. Once the initial reaction to a news event is over, people want to make their mark by saying something pithy and clever. Usually a hardball game of one upmanship starts. This is when trouble really sets in. Unless the event is happening in your industry, weighing in with an opinion has as much chance of offending as impressing.
Fourth Wave Defensiveness
It doesn't take long for people to become uncomfortable under the weight of public opinion. When people celebrating the death of Osama bin Laden were chastised on Twitter, many of them started to back pedal. It's about this time famous quotes start appearing to either support or attack a position. When people are at a loss for words, they tend to grab a book of quotations and try to bail themselves out.
Fifth Wave Repetition
Regardless of the story, it doesn't take long for common themes to become extremely boring. Depending on the number of people in your network, potentially thousands or tens of thousands of people are expressing similar emotions. Brands spend considerable effort trying to differentiate themselves in the marketplace but a big news story puts you on an even playing field with everyone else.
Avoiding a social media wipe-out
You might have another wave to add to this but if you've been using social media for more than a couple weeks, this cycle will be familiar. I have to confess to experiencing a "here we go again" moment when I first read about Osama bin Laden on Twitter. As expected, I witnessed plenty of serious brand damage both professional and personal – while people shared their personal reactions.
Here's my best advice to avoid getting caught in the trap of a big story:
- Unless the event directly affects your operation, make no comment whatsoever. This is the time to speak to your close network in person, on the phone, or via email. It's not the time to make public proclamations.
- Be aware your customers and prospects may not share your value system. I once saw an off-colour comment a client of mine made on Facebook about people who take public transportation. It immediately changed my opinion of him and, ultimately, his business. I no longer believed his claims of treating everyone the same, no matter their economic situation.
- Emotive events are the perfect opportunity to offend potential customers. Make sure what you have to say is worth losing business over.
- Your clients don't need to know everything about you. What you say in the heat of the moment can have long-term impact.
- Trying to be humorous in the light of a tragedy is a really bad idea. A YouTube video you think is super funny could drive a loyal customer to the comforting arms of a competitor.
The Exemptions
With very few exceptions, anyone using social media for business purposes would be wise to avoid joining the commentary regardless of the event. The people I expect to see entering the fray are:
- The media — Traditional media have hard rules about reporting with objectivity being the hallmark. When a big story hits, I turn to people like Gareth Parker and Latika Bourke to let me know what's going on.
- Professional comedians — Rove, David Letterman, and The Chasers are trained professionals. Leave the wise cracks and smarty pants opinions in their capable hands.
- I expect pundits and political tweeps to state their position and back it up. These people willingly walk a fine line with public opinion and are prepared to suffer the consequences if someone disagrees with him. One of my favourite tweeps, @s_dog does a brilliant job of stirring the pot with a heavy dose of responsibility and compassion. I don't always agree with him but I always respect the intelligence behind his posts.
A parting conundrum
While it might make perfect business sense to refrain from commenting in social networking sites when a major news event is going on, it's not as easy as it looks. Even remarks of empathy can be misconstrued or reinterpreted especially when all you have is 140 characters to state your opinion. Still, part of achieving success in social media is to inject transparency in your communications. When the biggest event in television history is being aired or the most wanted man in the world is stopped, it's extremely difficult not to jump in. Tread carefully.
Have you ever seen a post you thought was a bad idea?
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Image credit: Roaring Wavs by Ali J H, on Flickr
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