By Jake Koch, researcher and writer at Affinity Consulting Group.
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Social media is an integral part of our modern world. There are many uses for social media both for professional and personal purposes, but ordinary social interaction continues to be the primary reason most people spend time on these platforms. In 2019, 71% of Americans used Facebook[1]. Further, 79% of college graduates used one or more social media platforms. It is estimated that the number of social media users will exceed 3 billion by 2021[2]. It is apparent that, for better or worse, social media is here to stay, and this means it is immensely important to educate yourself about how to properly use social media in order to ensure that your private and professional lives do not conflict.
Why are you on social media?
If you are already on social media, then you may want to examine your usage of the various platforms for reasons ranging from privacy to professional appearance. Taking a close look at your social media usage can help you evaluate its effects on your professional life. The first step in analyzing your social media presence is asking yourself “Why do I use social media?” Do you use it to communicate with friends? To keep in contact with your children or other family members? Some other reason? Perhaps you use social media to promote yourself or your business (many people use LinkedIn for these purposes). You should be aware of your reasons for using social media, as this can help you monitor your activity and allow you to use the platforms appropriately. If you know why you use social media, then it is much easier to determine how you should be using it.
What should you be aware of when using social media?
Once you know why you use social media, it is important to understand the individual social media platform(s) available. Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, LinkedIn, and all other platforms have unique functions, customs, and expectations. For example, you may want to communicate with distant family members on Facebook or show your Instagram followers a photo of yourself at an interesting location, but both activities would be highly inappropriate on LinkedIn. Every platform is unique and it can take time to learn how to properly use each, however, that is time well spent.
Something that most social media platforms do have in common is that they make it possible for people to gather quite a bit of information about you from relatively basic searches. Many platforms allow users to publicly display personal information such as their name, location, job, interests, relationship status, family and friends, etc. If you use LinkedIn, then your employment information and history is on full display. You need to be fully aware of your social media presence and the impression other people may have of you if they search for your account. It is important that you present yourself according to the customs of the platform. You want to present yourself in a positive manner, especially considering the possibility of clients and business contacts finding you through social media. You may have strict privacy settings on your social media accounts, but it is still possible for people to use basic information to learn something about you. An important thing to note is that companies change their privacy rules and settings frequently and surreptitiously, as with Facebook. Because of this, you need to keep yourself up-to-date with the current privacy policies of each social media platform you use.
Also be aware of any social media policies your employer may have. There have been well-publicized instances of people facing ramifications for posting offensive, controversial, or prohibited content through social media. For instance, a Kansas attorney was fired after tweeting that the then Kansas Attorney General, who was testifying in front of the Kansas Supreme Court, would be disbarred for his conduct”[3]. This is the sort of opinion that is best not shared on social media. Ensure that you always present yourself in a manner that is publicly acceptable, especially to people like your boss and clients (all of whom will be able to view your online interactions). When you interact through social media, you represent not only yourself, but also your employer. You want to abide by any professional social media requirements (i.e. company policies), as well common-sense social media rules.
Besides being aware of what you post, you should also be aware of other outwardly visible activity on social media. Facebook groups, followed accounts on Instagram, and posts that you have liked on Twitter all tell a story about you as an individual, and by extension as a member of your organization. Make sure that, again, you are showing the best version of yourself on social media. Other people may not give you another chance to alter their impression of you if they disapprove of your social media presence. Likewise, an employer may not look kindly upon controversial social media activity. As a rule, you should never put out anything hurtful or offensive on social media. This is more or less an extension of the Golden Rule, but it is easy to forget that social media is usually not actually private. Even if you believe your social media account could not possibly upset another person, it is always wise to take time and self-audit your usage to make sure you are representing yourself well. Some platforms, such as LinkedIn, have ways to view your account as strangers would. This can be a helpful tool when trying to analyze your accounts from the perspective of others. You may only use social media to interact with friends and family, but you still need to make sure that the communication is clean and appropriate. You may only be directly communicating with someone you are close with, but that communication could still be visible to others.
Conclusion
Professionally, social media is a fantastic way to promote your business or service. Socially, it can be a lot of fun and a great way to stay connected to your friends, family, colleagues, and the world. You need to make sure that you are using social media appropriately and for the correct reasons, but otherwise you should take advantage of this modern form of communication. You can only meet so many people in person, but you can connect with countless people digitally. Take care to separate your professional and personal lives in the digital sphere. One way to do this is to use some platforms for personal communication and social interaction (such as Facebook), and to use others as a form of professional communication (such as LinkedIn). Exactly which platforms you prefer to use for these purposes is up to you, but make sure you are using the platform appropriately. Other people cannot do that for you, and the image that you create of yourself digitally is visible to many more people (and active for much longer) than in-person engagements. Make sure the version of you that others see online matches the version of you that they meet in person.
[1] See https://www.journalism.org/2019/10/02/americans-are-wary-of-the-role-social-media-sites-play-in-delivering-the-news/pj_2019-09-25_social-media-and-news_0-08/
[2] See https://www.broadbandsearch.net/blog/social-media-facts-statistics
[3] See https://technology.findlaw.com/modern-law-practice/kansas-court-research-attorney-fired-for-inappropriate-tweet-.html