A group of employees looking at a laptop screen, representing social media awareness

Why social media awareness matters

Social media awareness is essential for any high-performing organisation. As such, we'll analyse what you need to know about social media awareness.

John Sherman

2017-05-10

It’s official – social media is everywhere, with the majority of people in the United States using it. If we’re not liking a Facebook update then we’re probably Instagramming our newest holiday photo. But what happens when our use of social media enters the professional realm?

There are now a growing number of social media mishaps that can play havoc on the reputation of businesses and individuals. With too many examples to name, this is an issue that organizations need to get right, so that they don’t fall victim to a mistimed hashtag or unintended Tweet.

If you still need convincing, then here is a quick list of the benefits derived from social media awareness:

What is and isn’t acceptable – issues like bullying in the workplace can become uncontrollable problems if taken over to social media. This blurring of lines between professional and private spheres makes these sorts of problems very difficult to resolve.
Keep a clean reputation – when a problematic tweet is sent that includes a company name or logo, a company might unfairly reap the consequences. Keep a good reputation by setting clear guidelines.
Hold on a second – explain how private and public spheres are so porous now and that what a person might post can be seen by anyone – including bosses. Remove the risk of error by understanding simple rules. Before posting employees should give themselves a second to think – do they really want colleagues to see this?

Why social media awareness matters

Social media is unavoidable. It’s likely that a company uses Twitter or Facebook to promote itself and communicate with possible clients, and if that’s not the case, then your colleagues will almost certainly use social media to some degree.

And social media has blurred the lines between public and private life. They are, to some extent, now one and the same. It is therefore very important to understand what is and what is not acceptable to post on platforms that are public.

Not only can social media mishaps cost money and hurt the reputation of a company but personal attacks carried out via social media can cause a great deal of suffering to staff and destroy workplace unity.

Social Media Awareness training is a valuable tool to reduce the possibilities of these dramatic problems and offer leverage for a company should a social media mistake be made.

The use of social media shows no sign of falling away, so it is important that you act now to protect yourself and your business.