Taking Responsibility for Our Tweets

When we grow up, our parents teach us that we must take responsibility for our actions.  That what we say and what we do have consequences, some of which can be quite severe.  As our society evolves and social networks become a prominent form of communication, it would seem logical that these same guidelines would apply to the digital realm.  Nothing we post online is completely private and we must be prepared to accept the ramifications of what we say and post.  For many though, Facebook and Twitter are stilled viewed as personal networks where we can do and say as we please without global or legal ramifications.  One celebrity in particular appears to be a member of this camp.  I am referring to the legendary Twitter Trending Topic king himself, Justin Bieber.

Recently Bieber participated in what would normally be considered a school yard prank.  Except, because of the pop star's fame and his method of delivery, the prank was broadcast to the world and could resort in serious legal action.  Bieber tweeted a message asking fans to call him at an included phone number.  The number actually belonged to an enemy of Bieber's (do Tweens have enemies?) and within minutes the boy's phone was blowing up with texts and voicemails.  This is actually the second time Bieber has been the subject of a Twitter scandal.  Last November, Bieber tweeted that he was headed to a CD signing at a mall, only to later cancel the event.  His fans, after waiting hours only to be told to leave, became violent resulting in one serious injury.  Apparently Bieber was supposed to tweet again that the signing was cancelled but never did it.  According to reports, it was Bieber's manager who decided not to post that the signing was cancelled.  Bieber's first tweet that he was on his way is what caused the crowd to become unruly and he feared that a tweet in the contrary would put the crowd in more danger.  Bieber's manager was arrested under criminal charges for the event.


Implications


So what does this mean for your business?  First and foremost, people are reading what you post.  No matter how few followers you think you have or how local your audience is, the contents of your posts are constantly being searched and indexed by search engines like Google and by users for keywords.  What you post is out there forever, being read by many, and you must be ready to deal with the effects of that.  If you tweet a customer promise, be ready to deliver on it.  If you post a comment about a customer, they will read it...and so will their friends.  Treat every word you post on a social network as if you're saying it directly to the customer's face.  Finally, this same effect works in the positive direction as well.  Made a mistake?  Closed unexpectedly due to a glitch?  Delivered a negative customer experience?  Apologize for it.  Let your customers know you recognize the error and will improve upon your service in the future.  


Don't let the potential downfalls of social media keep you from using a service that could greatly benefit your business.  Just be prepared and be smart about it.  What was the old adage your parents used to always tell you?  Think before you speak!