There is no denying that social media is taking over the world, but while that may be true, that means there are some things to avoid in social media. When dealing with social media, it is important to remember that anyone, and I do mean anyone, can see what you are saying. Companies, friends, and family can all see what you are posting. So be mindful about what you are saying. Here are some of my tips on things to avoid in social media.
Arguing is one of the major things to avoid in social media. While social media is a great way to share your opinion, it is also a great way to be tolerant of others' opinions. If you disagree with something someone puts on social media, take a step back before commenting on it. Starting a fight via Facebook or Twitter just shows you are childish and are not tolerant of others' views. It can be hard because some people share very ignorant views, but those people are best left to their own devices.
Going along with the arguing aspect to avoid in social media, it is best to not share to many opinions on politics or religion. It is great to have strong opinions on both matters, but it is also best to keep those opinions off of the web. It creates unnecessary drama when people start arguments over opposing viewpoints. Save yourself the trouble and avoid these topics too much when on social media.
This may sound harsh, but not that many people care if you and your friend are having a fight. If you want social support, call one of your other friends to talk. It is not something that every one of your Facebook friends need to know details about. This is something that not everyone knows to avoid in social media. While it is great for sharing information about your life, there is a line that needs to be drawn in how much detail you can share.
Again this might sound harsh, but nobody cares how drunk you got last night. Sure pictures of you and your friends at the bars are great, but tweeting about how drunk or hungover you are is a 100% no when it comes to social media. If being judged by others isn’t reason enough, remember that employers can be looking at your social media accounts also. And they probably won’t want to hire you if you constantly tweet about being wasted.
Any picture in which you are showing too much skin, are in a compromising position, or are doing anything relatively sexual…keep it off social media. It is disturbing when my Facebook news feed is riddled with girls taking pictures with their cleavage hanging out or grinding up on some boy. It is embarrassing for them and it makes them look trashy. That is fine if you want to dance up on everyone at the club. Just try to keep it to yourself the next day.
Another thing I don’t think most people have learned to avoid on social media is talking about people. Make sure you take time to really think through tweeting about someone who is annoying. Most of the time, they will be able to tell whom you are talking about and then the drama starts. There is nothing more awkward than being approached by someone you tweeted or posted a status about.
This is an absolute no! Don’t tweet about how much you hate your boss. Don’t talk about your bad day at work. Don’t talk about upcoming projects or internal information. Your company will find out about it and you can get into serious trouble for it. If you had a bad day at work, find a less obvious way of venting about it than posting how much you hate your job.
Social media can be a great way to express your opinions and interact with new people. But it can also be a great way to tarnish your reputation and even lose your job. By following these tips on what to avoid in social media, you can be sure to maintain a positive and healthy social media reputation. What do you think of these things to avoid in social media? What are some things that you try to avoid in social media? Do you have any stories of social media?