It seems there is a controversial tweet sent out every other week that gets the Twitterverse all a twitter. The most recent being the above two tweets. First the Presidency (@PresidencyZA) lamenting missing Idols. Whoever manages that account failed to check that they were not logged into their personal account. The second flap was Cosmo SA (@CosmopolitanSA) asking if brains or big boobs are better.
The indignation of Twitter users is often amusing but they are never afraid to voice an opinion. The fast paced nature of social media makes the learning of lessons happen in real time and very publicly. But as Reuben Goldberg (@RubyGold) points out, this is what makes it a fun place to be.
For the more conservative corporate types these public embarrassments makes going social utterly terrifying. Of course, no one wants to deliberately make a mistake or do something that will reflect negatively on your brand. The odds are, though, that this will happen at some point given the very nature and speed of modern communication.
When it does happen the brand concerned will more than likely find themselves trending for a day or so as thousands of tweets, retweets and replies fly around. Just about everyone becomes a comedian and wants to have their brand of wit attached to whatever the current trending hashtag is.
But then it disappears or it is eclipsed by someone else’s stupendous gaff.
When you get right down to it we, as users, individuals and communicators love the communication and the fact that we can weigh in on any issue that takes our fancy. We would much rather have the communication than not.
It is true for individuals and it is true for businesses – it is better to communicate than not. Any communication is better than no communication.
So if your business is going to make a mistake it is far more productive to make the mistake of communicating than making the mistake of not communicating.
Be there. Communicate! After all, this is what makes life.
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