Twitter is certainly an interesting beast to say the least.
You either will find great conversation, people bashing other people, athletes that get themselves into hot water and whom don’t interact with fans, and also people who aren’t too bright.
In this day in age, you’d have to be living under a rock to know that social media is filled to the brim with scammers, losers, guys looking to hook up, and even criminals. If you aren’t careful, they will find you, try to sweet talk you into believing that they are harmless, and then when you least expect it, pounce on the opportunity and take whatever they can get from you!
Social media can be a dark place, but it also can be a place where you can shine.
First off, let’s talk about the GOOD stuff you can find on Twitter. You can network very easily with folks in your niche. You can get folks to buy your product, service, and read your blogs and books. You can also find great conversation too! Now, all conversation should stay on the platform and never go into DMs ( unless that account is verified!)
DMS are the dark place – especially with guys who lurk on the site for their next victim. It’s really disgusting when a guy sends a girl (woman) a picture of his junk and thinks it’s a turn on! Um, from 1 to 10 you are a no, a never, and a someone who will get blocked immediately. Not only that, you will get reported for doing that. Why guys think that’s a way to get a girl (woman) interested in him, is beyond me!
Secondly, constantly hounding a girl (woman) to talk “Privately” is a Red Flag! Why do I need to talk privately with you? Why can’t you talk through tweeting me? A guy and a girl can get to know each other by asking general questions through tweets? Where are you from? What’s your favorite vacation spot? What do you like to do when you have free time? Etc…. There are MANY questions you can ask as well as having conversation about whatever they are tweeting about. Then maybe the conversation will naturally move to DMS if both parties feel safe enough to move it there. And it’s really not smart to tweet to someone that you wish no harm on them or that they can trust you. Um, nope. That’s not a good sign that you have good intentions.
Also, anyone who asks you for money in a DM is spamming you. Report those immediately.
Now, let’s talk about athletes on Twitter.
Athletes show me time and time again, that they really don’t “get” the power of social media and what it truly is good for. They either tweet the stupidest of things like; rap lyrics, content that is created for their brand that really has no purpose, telling everyone they have “moved on” from a situation when in fact they haven’t, responding to the press in a tweet that makes no sense, social issues, RTing crap, or my favorite, other celebrities and athletes.
These athletes don’t release the power of the platform. They all “claim” that they have a platform, but they misuse it every single time.
Social media is possibly one of the most powerful tools of the 21st century. Social media provides an avenue for athletes to not only engage with fans, but also influence them with the right content that helps fans make a decision. It’s also a great way to highlight inspirational stories and get people pumped up! Too bad they don’t know this and they listen to their agents, PR folks and other people in their camps on what to post and those people are not educated on this topic at all!
Then you have examples after examples of what NOT to do on social media which I stated time and time again in my book, “Victim No More.” But just in case you haven’t read it here are a few examples:
1-Comedian Gilbert Gottfried, voice of the Aflac duck, made some jokes about the Japanese tsunami over Twitter. He said, “Japan is really advanced. They don’t go to the beach. The beach comes to them.” Aflac is the largest insurance company in Japan. Gottfried was fired.
2-Nicole Crowther was a recurring extra on Glee until she tweeted some plot spoilers she had heard on set. She was more or less fired via Twitter by the show’s producer, Brad Falchuk, who tweeted in response: “Hope you’re qualified to do something besides work in entertainment.”
3- Toronto-based sportscaster Damian Goddard was fired for tweeting his opinion on same-sex marriage. Hockey agent Todd Reynolds had criticized Rangers forward Sean Avery for publicly supporting the cause. Tweeted Goddard, “I completely and wholeheartedly support Todd Reynolds and his support for the traditional and TRUE meaning of marriage.”
Now, we have many other examples that have happened over this past year, but yesterday MLB reporter, Andy Martino, tweets: “After all the fluffy HOF stuff, it’s good to have on record that Rivera, man of faith, doesn’t consider these and other acts political dealbreakers: —- children sleeping in cages — making fun of a handicapped person — multiple accusations of rape Now we know where he stands.”
Seriously, he HAD to go there? He had to tweet POLITICS and combine that with a NY Legend who has done NOTHING outlashed while he was a New York Yankee and even now as a retired Hall of Famer. Why are folks so stupid to put their political views out there on social media when they are clearly on a platform they use for work?
If you notice, people only love free speech when you agree with them. Once you are on the other side, it’s no longer about free speech.
The best two responses are from this fan: “Mariano Rivera has been in the public sphere for two decades and has never been outspoken politically. This is likely because he’s too busy building churches and homes for impoverished children in Panama with his bare hands, and volunteering his time as a pastor in New Rochelle.”
And this fan: “I’m sure you don’t care but for the record this is the thing that will finally make me unfollow you. You’re entitled to your political opinion & free to express it but I prefer not to watch you shame an all time player & by all accounts a really good person over his opinion.”
Andy Martino, like the rest of the social media warriors, has not responded to these responses but am I surprised? The internet: turning cowards into tough guys daily.
