Social media can be a great connector- most people love getting in touch or staying in touch with friends from long ago, but when you’re using it for business it can be stressful. What if that tweet goes out with the wrong language or even with *gasp* a misspelling? What if we miss a comment and don’t reply fast enough?
It turns out that social media, whether used for personal or business reasons has been linked to increased rates of stress, anxiety and depression. Browsing the updates and feeds of others has been linked to envy, jealousy and even rather ironically social isolation!
So what can we do?
For most companies, Facebook and Twitter are a big source of stress in the office. Who is going to handle what and what on EARTH are we going to say? Will it be funny? Witty? Will it enhance our brand image?
Five ways to avoid social media stress in the workplace
Share, Don’t Compare.
Just like on your personal profiles, it is easy to get caught up in what competitors or clients are doing. Share your own information and content, don’t focus on comparing yourself to others. Sure it is valuable to take a look at their sites and keep tabs on what they do, but remember that the best thing you can do is stay true to yourself and your brand. Don’t obsess over what your competitors are doing- you’ll just look like a copycat.
Be Positive.
Don’t share negative or inappropriate content on your pages. This can lead to a snowball of stressful events down the line. Let clients and customers know that you are growing, that you’ve brought on a new line of business or other company news that sends a positive image.
Choose Your Company Wisely.
Don’t get in the habit of commenting or sharing information from companies that you do not associate with in the real world. Remember that good social media marketing requires you to build relationships in the real and virtual world. Don’t like every company you can possibly think of from your business Facebook page or follow every potential referral source on Twitter. Focus on a few key influencers and engage them online. It is a lot easier to keep track of 5 or 10 influencers than 1000 potential referral sources.
Set Social Media Policies.
We feel like a broken record when we say this, but set policies and expectations for social media use in the workplace. If you expect your employees to tweet and update their LinkedIn throughout the day give them the tools, training and time to do so. Give them examples of what is appropriate so that the don’t “break” the rules. Set policies for responding, deleting and posting.
Remove Yourself If Necessary.
If social media becomes a major source of stress in your office place, remove your company from these sites. Reduce your “load” to one or two sites where you can focus your time, energy and attention. Don’t feel like you have to follow the next greatest thing just because it is out there.
Social media is just that – SOCIAL. Just like any other social networking opportunity, social media can create stress, anxiety and worry. These are just five ways you can avoid social media stress in your workplace. What would you add?