Think Before You Tweet

This past week Alberta news was flooded by a certain little Tweet from a young woman employed by the Premiers office. Thankfully Amanda Wilkie gave us a good eye opener, be careful what you put out in the Twitterverse, because it can spread like wildfire.

It is easy enough to send off a quick rant when in the midst of an emotional event, 140 characters on Twitter seems innocent enough. But given the right circumstances, something said online can grow into a monster of its own. Once something starts getting retweeted, there is no stopping or earasing it. And what happens on the internet stays on the internet forever.

As a business owner it is also vital to monitor your brand, if you have employees Tweeting whether for the business or personal it is vital to monitor what they say to ensure it does not in any way slander your business or insult any potential customers. Similarly, watch what your clients are saying online; if there is negative information be sure to address it immediately, and don’t try to hide it. We’re all human and showing that you genuinely care about your clients will go a long way.

Also, parents should have the conversation with their children who are starting to utilize social networking. Ensure they understand the magnitude of social media in our society, and the fact that things they post are accessible to everyone. In today’s society employers and recruiters now turn to social media to see the true colors of potential hires, make sure your kids understand that they actions online can impact their employment.

So thank you Amanda Wilkie for reminding us that we need to be cautious of what we post. And if you are wanting to write something out of emotion, write it down on a piece of paper first, then get back to it a few hours or a day later; it will sound much different to you reading it over when you are not so emotional.