Tag: fail

Facebook group of Servicemen set out to Stop Bad Posts

So here’s a story I thought was awesome… and it includes retroactive Public Relations so its very relevant and entertaining.
Ever since a very relaxed Tariqka Sheffey posted a selfie stating she would rather lay down in her car than salute the 1700 Flag, some dedicated military members have took it upon themselves to make a difference.. and they went to Facebook to do so.  The group is called “Military Social Media Idiots” and the battle does not challenge their fellow servicemen’s combat skills, but rather their intelligence.

Another poor decision by Tariqka:

Tariqka Sheffey

In the (now viral) Instagram post, Tariqka went on in ALL CAPS (because that’s how you indicate real talk) to say “keep all your that’s so disrespectful/how rude/etc comments to yourself,” but the Military Social Media Idiots group are glad to make those comments. Bad decisions on social media are often the sources for scandal. And after noticing that some soldiers were blatantly disgracing their own uniform online, the group began with their mission of protecting the reputation of U.S. servicemen. They are not going to to be happy with any offensive material coming from Americans in uniform and have already found many who agree with them. The group has gotten followers involved with both comments and support. In fact, after just one month of operation the group scored 19,580 likes and counting. But hey, they will not rest until servicemen with bad taste do! They actively ask their fans for notification when a post by a military member comes across as profane, racially-charged, or perverted. One comment I read from a supporter (anonymous serviceman) said, “You were brought up this morning in the nco meeting. Our soldiers are terrified of yall.” Sounds like a good move by an inside-party if you ask me.

Oh, and as for our poor Tariqka?
If worst came to worst, she could be tried by a court martial (military court) for insubordination or failure to obey regulations which could cost her two years in prison. Fortunately, it is unlikely such things will take place for this young servicewoman. Instead I just hope she can learn from this experience and refrain from following her philosophy of “IDGAFFFFF” when it comes to Instagram selfies and captions (why quotes? that was part of the caption… you don’t believe me? ok, HERE.)

Don’t Let your Social Media Backfire: Be Enjoyable

It is obvious to us that social media is a crucial part of Public Relations management these days. But what can happen when this resource is overused? Can social media ruin your message if it appears in overabundance? Can you annoy your followers with posting overload? Are all these questions rhetorical?

Yes.

Experts have come up with 5 rules that any PR professional should follow to keep a positive online presence:

1. Don’t post too frequently.
2. Commit to relationships and a specific type of brand personality.
3. Keep all professional and personal accounts separate!
4. Everyone who posts needs to be aware of the company’s policies.
5. Don’t get too political. Your personal beliefs are not always on par with your followers.

And because my blog posts need to be more in depth, I will reflect on why these rules should be followed and not ignored:

1. Don’t post too frequently:

Honestly? You come off as desperate. How many times have you logged onto Facebook and had to click the “Unfollow” button because some company wants to post 8 times a day? Not every site works like Twitter… and posting too much just takes up my feed away from people and/or organizations I actually want to hear about. So take the high road and post less frequently, you don’t want your brand to be considered SPAM (augh).

2. Commit to relationships  and a specific type of brand personality.

In my PR courses there is nothing repeated more than “focus on your target audience” (I swear, its every class. And now I can’t look at any brand anymore without thinking of their target market). So, with that in mind, start thinking about personifying your brand as the type of entity that your target audience would want to be friends with or would enjoy reading posts from. Candy companies aim to be goofy, energy drinks want to be bold, healthy food markets talk to you like you’re chef already… etc. But remember this goes beyond your posts as well, be aware of your brand’s endorsements and charities you support. There’s no better way to keep your followers interested.

3 & 4. Keep all professional and personal accounts separate! And everyone who posts needs to be aware of the company’s policies.

Keep accounts separate, it gives you privacy (you are not your brand, your brand is not you). Make sure anyone else who represents your brand as well is not about to send out false information or make your name look unprofessional. I don’t really think I need to explain this one but when in doubt: consult your common sense.

5.  Don’t get too political. Your personal beliefs are not always on par with your followers.

This should always be a golden rule of Public Relations. Let’s face it, no one wants to hear your personal beliefs blabbered out through your brand’s social media; you’ll just sound one sided… no matter what side you’re on. There will always be customers who don’t agree with you, and that’s one simple way to lose business. Now, I’m not suggesting that you can’t have certain opinions that guide how you use your brand. But instead of getting into politics (which is usually a such a downer anyway) focus on positive influences and activity your brand engages in, like charities that make everyone happy. Build your followers up through community; don’t divide them with irrelevant banter.