16 Top Tips For Social Media In Television

Social Media allows us to easily share information with the world.  But where do you draw the line of what is acceptable to talk about - particularly in the gossipy world of television production?  The BBC College Of Production had a discussion on the topic of personal social media acounts in television with Steve Bowbrick, Rowan Kerek Robertson and Steve Saul.  Here are the top tips that I've drawn out from the conversation.

• Remember that Twitter is fully searchable and you are not just Tweeting your followers - Twitter is public by default.
• Don't release too much information about a production you are working on via social media.
• Don't discuss confidential stuff online - don't have conversations with colleagues via Twitter - take it to email or the phone.
• Don't be unpaid paparazzi - if you see a famous person at a production/company you are working with, respect that it is a place of work and do not Tweet/Post photos that you have taken without permission.
• Represent the place that you work - if you are Tweeting/Posting about something you are working on, your views should match those of your employer.
• Give yourself a few seconds before you send a Tweet or Post and think "Is this a good idea? Will everyone be happy if I share this with the world? Is there anyone who might not like it?"
• If you question, even for a moment, whether or not you should send it, don't do it!
• Apply normal rules of human interaction and conversation to Twitter and Facebook and use good manners - if it's tasteless in the real world, it's tasteless online.
• Always hash tag or mention your company in any relevant tweets from a personal account.
• Your online personality should be your ideal real world personality - helpful, etc. Don't have less integrity online.
• Think of Facebook as interacting with people you already know well - Twitter is to interact with people that you want to know better.
• FB and Twitter is for immediate commentary and events, often with a touch of humour.  A blog is for solid commentary and ideas, where you develop voice and opinion.
• Don't get involved in arguments without end.
• Share ideas that make you interesting, that people may want to listen to - your knowledge and expertise.
• Monitor your account, especially on Facebook.
• Tweet quotes with a hashtag comment to add context.

And if things do go wrong with your social media interaction, here are some tips for damage limitation. - Delete any mistakes immediately. - Acknowledge and apologise for the mistake, people will have noticed the mistake, so don't ignore it. - Know the difference between publishing and sharing - check that you have the right to publish material.