Being transparent doesn't mean laying all of your cards face-up on the table. Not allowing strangers access to every part of your life does not make you any less authentic. You do not have to share everything on social media – nor should you (studies show over-sharers of personal drama actively build distrust in their brands).
That said, it's okay to be as open as you're comfortable with online. It's also important to understand that each platform has a different purpose, different audience, and that each requires a different approach. Decide which platforms you're going to use and then write down guidelines for how you want to use them.
For example, here are some of mine:
- ThinkSplendid blog (yes, blogs count as social media): Here I write about whatever strikes my fancy, but primarily focus on the topics of leadership, influence, and generosity.
- Pinterest: Curated aesthetic so that my clients can get a sense of and build trust in my taste level. This matters to my clients, even though I don't sell design. Any useful-yet-ugly pins get saved to secret boards.
- Instagram: I get told I'm intimidating a lot, so my Instagram includes snapshots of my very normal life. It is intentionally not super curated or overly polished. This strategy works for what I need it to do.
- Facebook: I don't use Facebook for work.
- Twitter: This is where I run my mouth, politics and all. Interestingly, I still get many of my most lucrative contracts from Twitter. My target clients are leaders, and this is the social media platform they prefer because its purpose is mindshare.
I also refuse to use my family in my marketing on any platform. I don't post photos of family members who are not on social media and I never post photos of anyone's children without the parents' permission (including my niece and nephews). It is important to me that I respect the boundaries related to social media that others have set for themselves. Whatever guidelines you write for yourself and your team, make sure they're respectful of other people as well.
#GetSplendid offers tips designed to make your business and life a little more splendid, day by day. Our theme for March is 'Communication.'
