There is one thing I’ve learned in my time of blogging that I feel compelled to pass along. I’m sure you already know this. I’m sure you’re well aware. But, I feel like it bears repeating.
The Internet is forever. There is no hiding what you’ve said, who you’ve connected with, what you’ve shared. Remember this.
I realized very early on that I admired the women that stayed above the fray when it came to controversy and inflammatory writing. I never wanted to be brash, offensive, or impulsive. That works for some women. That makes some women a lot of money.
But, I knew I gained life from women who walked their own walk–to the beat of their own drum. I valued that those women realized the immense influence they had stumbled into, and they were wise with that influence. These days, the idea of succeeding in blogging is oftentimes something one sets out to achieve rather than stumbling into. All the more reason to be wise with your online imprint.
Because I knew from the get-go that I wanted to give blogging a real “go”, I made some guidelines for myself as far as what I would (and would not) write about, share about, and engage in. I also am like an airtight ship in who I will follow online. Snark? Not for me. Controversy for controversy sake? Not in my reader. People with disregard for others’ feelings? I’ll unfollow. I get to decide what gets my attention and eyeballs on the Internet–and I’ll vote with my clicks.
Here are some of my guidelines for social media and blogging:
* On my personal Facebook, I don’t complain or air dirty laundry. Look back over your last 30 status updates. What is your overall impression of what you’re putting out there?
* On Twitter, I limited myself to tweeting about 4 topics. I knew I wanted to be a “resourcer” on Twitter, someone who provides high quality content for their followers. I didn’t want to just tweet the same things I updated about on Facebook. So, I tweet about faith, motherhood, life management, and creativity. If I retweet something, it falls into one of those categories. If I link to an article, it passes through that filter. Setting these boundaries kept me in check on Twitter. What is the purpose of your Twitter account? What are you speaking into someone’s day?
* On Instagram, it is a more personal look into my life. While I don’t share a ton of personal snapshots on my blog, I post bits of my real life often on Instagram. What I don’t post: pictures of the front of my house, pictures of my kids’ schools, or comment about our location at a given time. I also don’t post Instagram photos that would embarrass my children if their classmates saw them in 10 years. Because, remember, the Internet is forever. Do you want your child to have a nude portfolio before they’re in kindergarten?
* I don’t engage in bashing individuals or businesses (without a lot of thought and a strong reason) on any platform of mine. First, it doesn’t feel right to me as an individual. Second, it doesn’t fit the purpose of my social media involvement. That behavior doesn’t fit the Tiny Twig brand or even me personally.
Do you have guidelines (either written or intuitive) for yourself and your social media platforms? Have you ever gotten caught up in drama online?