Share, But Don't Over Share

Maren Machles

mm423611@ohio.edu

The online world is growing every day, rapidly, and because of this, the way in which we utilize it to communicate with one another is becoming more and more complex. How do we know where to draw the line between being professional and being ourselves online? As journalists, would we be crossing the like by connecting with our sources via Facebook, Twitter or tumblr?

Social media has become one of the top ways of getting into contact with sources and colleagues, considering the growth of Facebook from 1 million users to 1.2 billion users in less than 10 years. It is expected that you would add the people that you work closely with, and because of this, it is vital that everyone is careful of what they are posting.

A study from the U.K. actually found that posting “selfies” on Facebook can hurt your real world relationships. The norm for business etiquette in 2014 is to “Friend” and “follow” all of you business associates and colleagues. The social media world is no longer a place where you can just say something freely without it affecting your reputation.

As journalists, it is important to maintain a professional appearance towards the public at all times. This includes social media. When you say something on the internet, you are publishing it forever for the world to see. With this in mind, it is typically, strongly advised to consider what you post before you post it; just like how you should think about what you say before you say it in person. If you would not do or say something in person, do not put it on the internet.

With this in mind, I am not saying you can’t be yourself. In fact, it is encouraged to be yourself, and this can be done by “personal branding”. This makes those that follow you on social media familiar with who you are and what you have to offer. It can also help build you more of a following. So, in this sense, it is a good thing to goof around on the internet and post things that you are interested in as long as they attribute to your brand. If you want to be an business journalist and you read an interesting article on a large merger and want to share it with your followers, you should do that. And at the same time, if you consider yourself a big fan of stand-up comedy and want to share a set that Louis C.K. just put on youtube, go ahead! These things give you character and make you stand out as a journalist with a personality. However, you should stay away from affiliating yourself with a particular opinion or stance unless you are a columnist.

Be yourself and enjoy interacting with your connections via social media, but just be mindful of the connotations that come up with the things you post.