Oh, it’s that person again. You know the one. The person on your social media feed who always spouts off about the political candidate you like or loathe. Or the person who must talk about [insert issue of the day here]. No matter where you turn or what you click on, there they are, the People Who Always Have Much to Say.
Turn off the computer. Put down your phone. Walk away. Do not engage.
Many business owners maintain both business and personal social media profiles. Their business profiles are filled with polished images and posts about their companies.
But turn to their personal profile and their feed takes a different tone. Suddenly, they’re firing off angry responses to attacks on their favored political candidate. They’re sharing articles about a controversial topic, passionately defending their position. Some even go so far as to launch personal attacks at people with whom they disagree.
It’s like seeing Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Dr. Jekyll runs the company, and Mr. Hyde comes out to play on his personal social media feed.
Is It Worth Damaging Your Reputation?
As a small- or medium-sized business owner, your reputation is often tightly linked to your business’ reputation.
In some cases, customers perceive you and the business as one and the same. Doctors, dentists, lawyers, veterinarians, counselors, religious leaders, artists, and writers often have brands so tightly entwined with their personal identity that the brand may be construed as one and the same with the individual even if the business is run as a separate legal entity.
Other small-business owners may maintain a separate corporate identity. However, it is likely that people in your community and your customers know that you’re the owner and operator of XYZ heating and cooling, or IT consulting firm, or precision manufacturing. Your reputation is also linked to your business.
Everyone who is active on social media must understand how the public views their actions online. We are not viewed in isolation in today’s very public digital world but as the sum of our interactions. What we share, how we respond to comments, and the articles or posts we share all leave an impression behind.
No matter what your work or your business — whether you own a business or work for a company — your actions and interactions on social media reflect on you and the business. The two images are linked in people’s minds. A misstep on your personal profile can have negative repercussions for the business.
It Takes a Lifetime to Build a Good Reputation — And Seconds to Lose It
Will Rogers once said, “It takes a lifetime to build a good reputation, but you can lose it in seconds.”
A brand is more than a logo. Brands consist of both visual elements (logos, colors, font choices), verbal elements (your slogan or tagline, mission, vision), and customer interactions. Although some people think that it’s a slogan or logo that makes a memorable brand, it’s your business’ actions and interactions with customers over time that builds a valuable brand.
It has taken the lifetime of your business to develop the brand image you have today. That images continues to grow, evolve, and change as your business grows, evolves, and changes. However, brand value can be lost in a moment with a thoughtless post on social media. It may be a post on your company’s platform or on your own personal profile. It doesn’t matter. The public perceives the actions of people aligned with a company as if they are one and the same. What you do and say matters to your business and your brand name.
Social Media: A Very Public Platform
Although your personal profile on social media accounts may be set to “private” or “friends only,” this is no guarantee that something you post will remain hidden from your clients, customers, employees and colleagues. Someone you’re connected with may decide to take a screenshot of your post and share it. Photos you share can be downloaded by anyone who is connected with you to their computers and then uploaded and reshared. Items shared on social media, including photos and videos, are never 100% private. Think carefully before posting anything controversial in today’s “cancel culture.”
You’re Entitled to an Opinion — But Think Twice Before Sharing It
“I stand by what I said. I believe wholeheartedly in my position,” you might think. “Why not share it?”
No matter what position you take on an issue or comment you make about a celebrity or politician, you are guaranteed to alienate someone reading it. And that includes those hard-won clients and customers you’ve worked so hard over the years to win over to your business.
PC Magazine did a roundup article of the biggest social media blunders made by corporations and it’s worth reading as a cautionary tale. In the past week, however, several people have been fired from their jobs by making insensitive comments on social media about the assassination attempt on the former president’s life.
Sharing things that seem funny to you or to your friends may be just part of your personality, but when you share it on social media, you’re not just sharing it with your small circle of friends. You’re publishing it. Think of social media not as a temporary forum where messages can be written and erased but as if it were a printed newspaper, magazine, or book — once your message is published it could live on forever.
Preserve Brand Recognition
Do not underestimate the value of brand recognition. While “big names” such as Google, Apple, Nike, and McDonalds may come to mind when you hear the term brand value, every business’ brand has value. Every customer you serve, every product you’ve developed, every year you’ve been in business has helped you develop your brand and brand awareness. Is it worth throwing it all out the window just to let off a little steam and blast your opinions in the public square?
Tempers are running high right now with so many people feeling angry and frustrated with the world. But do not throw away all that you’ve worked so hard for just to let off steam online. Just as we did in the pre-internet world, we should speak our minds to family and friends, discuss issues, and dialogue with those we disagree.
Social media, however, is not the place for it. It may feel like we are taking action to support a person or cause we believe in, but in the long run, it does more harm to your reputation and to your company’s reputation than it does good. Few minds, if any, have ever been changed by an argument on social media, but many minds have been changed by conversations, dialogues, and friendships.
Focus on your business and leave the controversies on social media to others. The day’s events, the latest scandal or gossip will pass, but the damage from a thoughtless post lingers on. Avoid such missteps by refraining from controversy on social media platforms.
If you would like assistance with social media management or advertising, call Dashboard Interactive Marketing at 763-242-2454. We are a full-service digital marketing agency focused on small and mid-sized business success.
