Social Media: Handle with Care

Nothing makes me feel better right now than starting typing this blog post. 

Personally I've wanted to express my point of view about something I feel it's SO important but has been forgotten by companies, media sources and even normal people.

With the evolution to Marketing 2.0 and the apparition of Social Media into our lives, opinions have never been so easy to communicate like now. Just take me as an example, that's what I'm doing right this moment. 

Social Networks gave us a platform to connect with people (hence on the word "Social") and to express our opinions. Same goes with brands. The existence of Social Networks gave companies and professionals a low cost platform to reach millions of people around the world at the same time. 

Social Networks changed our lives.

With the creation of Social Networks the oh-so-competitive race for reach started and engagement with the audience. Then new job positions were born and now companies need a team of community managers and digital marketing developers to take the bigger piece of cake possible out of the reach cake. 

Some brands and people will do literally ANYTHING for it. And here it's where things get twisted.

Technically, companies' community managers exist so they study the audience and target to create strategies and develop an organic relationship between the brand and their followers. 

Things get even more complicated when you have a web page and you need traffic to it so your service or product gets more exposure. A strategic formula of Social Media + Website content (blog) + and other bunch of technical lingo that i won't state here, come in play.  

Sadly, some people take a shady short cut instead of working towards a relationship with their audience by creating original and attractive content. Why?, because like in real life, developing a relationship TAKES TIME and it TAKES BRAINS. 

What do they do then? 

A popular practice: They take a popular topic, they add some spice to it (a false statement, a dating rumour, a nasty headline, racist comment, a person's weght, etc.) even when they know THIS AIN'T TRUE or even when they know it's OFFENSIVE. I'm all up about taking advantage of a trend and generate new content about it, but not in expense of someone else or their integrity. 

How many times have you seen on Twitter "A totally different person after gaining weight! OMG watch the video right here: (link)"? and you click the freakin' link even when you already know it's NOT TRUE. Why? because we're curious. That click made the lie worth it for the company: they got you to their website. 

our reactions exactly...

And we're not talking about kids doing this, these are professionals that are being paid to generate a connection to a brand's audience. 

Where's the ETHIC and RESPECT and when did they become so underrated? 

We are talking about accounts with a BIG reach and influence. And nowadays people are so sensitive to what they read. Someone could read that headline and feel fat, ugly or less than others.  

MORE REACH = MORE RESPONSIBILITY that comes within and the less you can pretend your content has no consequences.

Let's not forget Social Media was created to connect people. Not to connect people while tearing others apart.