I recently purchased a book on the proper way journalists can use social media to interact with their communities, find stories and drive traffic to their sight – more clicks mean more money. I’ll admit the material is a bit dry, but I’ve learned some interesting things.
One of the key notes the book brings to light about social media is the defining line between personal and business communication. Social media, being used by individuals, small businesses and conglomerates alike, has blurred that line to where it can be difficult to know what is and what isn’t appropriate to put on a page.
When I think of successful business communication via social media, I instantly think of the Wendy’s Twitter page. Whichever employee is in charge of running that page is, in my opinion, doing a great job. They get a lot of exposure for their brand while maintaining a level of personal interaction that makes fickle internet dwellers happy.
However, Wendy’s Twitter page can also cross the line into attacking other Twitter users. In an exchange with IHOP last year, Wendy’s posted several comments that I thought were rather uncalled for and mildly offensive. I don’t consider myself to be a keyboard warrior or protector of the internet, and I certainly don’t believe in safe spaces, but somethings just don’t belong on the internet.
Ever since reading about the personal-versus-business debate in my new textbook, I’ve become more cognizant of what I post on social media. While I frequently rant to my dogs about political tweets, I try to keep my posts somewhat light-hearted and avoid slipping into serious discussions with virtual strangers. With the paper’s social media, I try to post and share things I think the community would like to know, promote the week’s stories and remind readers of important events.
However, the book, and my own online experiences make one thing clear, those rules don’t work for everyone. There are plenty of people and pages online that are nothing short of abusive. I was always told my Facebook feed would be the first thing a potential employer looked at, but if that’s the case, I’m surprised the unemployment rate is so low.
So, what are the rules for online interaction? Over the past year we’ve learned there don’t appear to be any rules for what the social media platform can do with our data, but what about rules for users? To take the weight off my mind, and hopefully spark a discussion that might benefit others working or looking for jobs, I put the question to the readers. What is your social media philosophy? Where do you draw the line on what to post or share? Most importantly, what do you think is a healthy way to respond to posts you don’t like or agree with?
I don’t see social media going anywhere anytime soon, so I think we’ll see more discussions about online etiquette as time goes on. In the meantime, stay safe, be kind and don’t read the comments.
Thomas is the managing editor of the Newton County Appeal. He can be reached at thoward@newtoncountyappeal.com
