Top 5 Most Common Social Media Mistakes

In today’s day and age, we are accustomed to sharing and interacting using our social media accounts. We publicize every aspect of our lives, whether it be the dinner recipe you made last night or photos from your family vacation last weekend. We post everything from our thoughts about celebrity red carpet looks to our political views. We have transitioned to a pattern of automatically posting when something interesting or new happens to us. But what we think of as harmless sharing with our friends and family can often be taken too far. When certain social media posts find their way into our professional life, consequences can be disastrous. Reputations can be damaged and positions can be taken away. It’s important to know what to post and what to keep to ourselves. Continue reading below to learn about five major mistakes that can downgrade you from social media expert to amateur.

1. The first and perhaps most obvious mistake is posting party pictures. This seems like a no brainer, right? Well here's where it gets tricky - your tagged photos. While you may know not to post a certain picture, your friends may not. Our tip is to change your privacy settings in order to make sure that you approve every post you are tagged in.
2. Another common mistake professionals make is complaining or over sharing about their jobs. When you post something on the internet it is out there forever and can be easily accessed by everyone. Don’t let yourself lose your job because you felt like ranting about something your boss did that upset you that day.
3. We mentioned that many people are motivated to share their political views via social media. There is a right and a wrong way to do this, as getting involved in controversial conversations can be offensive and damaging to your digital reputation. Remember that every person perceives comments differently.
4. When scrolling through Facebook, it is easy to spot a rant that you have no interest in reading. We recommend that you avoid being the person who posts tirades. People often forget that social media is not akin to therapy sessions.
5. We are the authors of everything on our own social media accounts. It’s important to make sure we’re writing fact and not fiction. Don’t lie about your life or experiences on social media. Stay real; you don’t want to get caught up in a lie.

Social media can be a powerful tool in marketing yourself to other people. Be aware of your image online and remember that no matter what your privacy settings may be, anything you post may find its way into the hands of someone you work with. So tweet away, but don’t forget our list!