This is a guest post provided by The University of San Francisco, in partnership with University Alliance. The University of San Francisco offers online education opportunities through a variety of certificates, including internet marketing and advanced social media. To see additional information please visit http://www.usanfranonline.com.

Social media platforms like Twitter can be a powerful way to build a personal or professional network of like-minded people. In addition to networking, people use Twitter for marketing, publicity, or to stay updated with real-time news or current trends. Many Twitter users report success with job searches or with increasing their client base while others appreciate the friendships they’ve built and celebrity connection they’ve made through Twitter.

Regardless of the reason why you’re using Twitter or other social media sites, there are some key do’s and don’ts to be followed. Social media users should review the privacy settings and options for their account and understand how these settings work. Limiting your profile’s exposure by adjusting privacy settings can help prevent sharing your information with the general public but there is still the possibility that a friend or contact may intentionally or unintentionally share your content themselves. In general, it’s a good idea to refrain from any of the following activities when posting to your social media profile:

• sharing intimate personal details
• posting inappropriate photos or videos
• complaining about your boss, your co-workers, or your clients
• posting offensive comments, including derogatory racial, religious, or political statements
• posting threatening statements or statements that could be perceived as such, even in jest.

Posting offensive or questionable content on a social media profile has cost some people their jobs and job seekers, including graduating college students, have found that recruiters are now researching online content before making hiring decisions. Law enforcement, insurance companies, and other groups are also using social media to provide them with facts and information to be used in investigations.

The Best and Worst Tweets of 2011

There are numerous examples of social media missteps and successes, but some have stood out so much that they have left a lasting impression. Successful tweets tend to publicize a good cause or newsworthy event with sensitivity while the biggest missteps seem to either hijack those things for self-promotion or to treat tragedies flippantly. Below are some of the most memorable tweets of 2011:

Success: This tweet from Wendy’s restaurants was the most-retweeted tweet of 2011 and ultimately raised $50,000 for foster children. “RT for a good cause. Each retweet sends 50¢ to help kids in foster care. #TreatItFwd”

Misstep: Kenneth Cole brought on the wrath of the Twittershere with this ham-handed and offensive attempt to incorporate current events with its social media strategy by using the civil unrest in Egypt to promote a clothing line. “Millions are in uproar in #Cairo. Rumor is they heard our new spring collection is now available online at http://bit.ly/KCairo -KC.”


Success: Airline passenger Stefanie Gordon captured not only a new perspective on a shuttle launch but also the attention of NASA, major media outlets, and others when she took a photograph of the May 16 Endeavor launch from a plane and tweeted it. “Three things about my flight: I can lay down across 3 seats just fine, it was freezing & I got to see this.”

Misstep: After posting a series of offensive and insensitive tweets related to the Japanese tsunami, comedian and actor Gilbert Gottfried lost his lucrative position as Aflac spokesman. After tweets like this one, he earned the distinction of being considered the biggest jerk on the internet for months: "I just split up with my girlfriend, but like the Japanese say, 'They'll be another one floating by any minute now.”

The examples mentioned above are perfect examples of why it is so important to think before you tweet. It is easy to get caught up in the fun and convenience of social media, but it cannot be taken lightly. In the office, we proofread and scrutinize an email before we send it out to the entire company – Is the tone okay? Did you check for grammar and spelling errors? Will anyone be offended by this? Is the point of my email clear and concise? Those are all questions that we subconsciously ask ourselves, and those same questions must apply to social media avenues as well. The old saying applies here: “A closed mouth gathers no feet”. It might even be safe to say that “A well thought out tweet keeps you out of the hot seat”.


For all the latest updates from us, you can subscribe to our RSS feed. You can also choose to receive updates via email.