Social Media & Your Reputation

Please excuse me while I rant for a while.

You see, I recently stumbled upon an article highlighting Tweets that were sent during a Twitter feud between British boy band One Direction's Zayn Malik and his fellow Brit, The Wanted's Max George.  The battle of the bands words got pretty heated, and other members of each respective band intervened while the fight raged on.

One Direction's Zayn Malik attacks The Wanted's Max George on Twitter

I have just one question to ask these boys: Do you not have a publicist!? Is no one explaining to you how damaging a conflict broadcasted to millions of followers on Twitter can be to your reputation?

Not only did the Twitter feud make headlines, it also made both band members look, well, rather lame.

This feud really got me heated because I understand how frustrating  it must be for the publicists of celebrities who use Twitter in damaging ways. When you spend your career managing the image of celebrities/companies, etc., it can be pretty upsetting when your client blatantly disregards all efforts you've made on his or her behalf.

Beyond my publicist-sympathizing reasons, this fight also upsets me because it proves that people truly don't realize just how much their presence on social media can affect how they are perceived by others. This goes beyond celebrities or major corporations; this is true for every single person with a Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest account.

Your social media profile is your avatar. It is your online persona, and it's what people perceive to be a direct reflection of you, your beliefs and your actions. What sort of message was sent to young fans of One Direction when Malik referred to George as "Chlamydia boy"? Not a very respectable one, if you ask me.

Maintaining a squeaky-clean profile on social media sites is vital to your personal image (unless, of course, you're Marilyn Manson and you're success rests solely on your ability to shock & dismay the general pulic.) It should not be taken lightly. So, before you post that questionable picture or decide to bad-mouth someone online, ask yourself: "What do I want the people who look at my profile to think of me?"

When it comes to social media profiles and reputation, I've got one thing to say: Clean it up, people!