The reports of Twitter’s demise are greatly exaggerated

Just as I started becoming complacent toward the power of social media, I was sucked back into its command recently when my husband read an email from a relative lamenting Jon Bon Jovi’s death.

By now, most people have come to realize this report for what it was – a hoax (or at the very least a clever marketing ploy to capture the public’s attention). But while this issue has been laid to rest, the stir created in its wake is somewhat intriguing.

The benefits of social media platforms are undeniable. People use Skype to visit with relatives serving overseas in the military or Facebook to reconnect with long-lost friends. YouTube has even been used to launch the careers of previously unknown musicians.

For all the benefits social media brings us, however, it also has its downside. Personal privacy has become a thing of the past and the overload of inane information is at times unbearable. Do I really need to know that someone has just “checked in” at Starbuck’s or that they need a chicken and two pigs to complete their farm?

For better or worse, it’s clear that social media is here to stay. And anyone not eager to jump on the bandwagon might want to think twice about standing in its path. With that in mind, here are a couple things to remember to avoid becoming a speed bump on the new information highway.
 
Do not underestimate the power of social media. Just like the wildfire spread of chicken pox through a kindergarten classroom, when a message goes “viral” across the Internet, nothing can stand in its way.

Look before you leap. Do not feel obligated to jump onto Facebook because everyone else is doing it or to launch headfirst into an online conversation. It’s alright to sit back and watch what other people are doing or listen to what they are saying before joining in.

Use it cautiously and sparingly. Unlike a phone conversation that is soon forgotten, social media conversations are indelible. If what you say today might come back to haunt you years later, don’t say it. Be judicious with your comments. Those who continually dominate the conversation are soon ignored.

Go with the flow. Once a message is out there you can’t do anything to retract it. You might, however, be able to redirect it or refocus attention. Just like a true marketing professional seizing the opportunity at hand, Bon Jovi himself quelled the rumor of his demise while getting in a shameless plug for his beloved New Jersey.

Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 12/21 at 11:33 AM

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