Personal vs Professional the Debate Lives On
September 12, 2011
Recently I had a client who told me they wanted to make big changes to their social media strategy based on a lot of online info stating that personal items are bad in social media. They are completely stripping out their personal posts and any that are promotional.
While I think it’s a smart move for this client (as I had recommended something like this months ago); it’s important to remember not to move completely to the extreme. The debate of what to post on your social media networks including your blog has gone on for years and will continue to do so. Some experts say keep it strictly professional. Others say be personable and professional.
Finding your own happy medium is what’s most important. I believe the one item most people overlook when deciding this, is what does your target market need and want? Of course they need helpful information otherwise they wouldn’t be there but what about the style that is blended with it? Should you keep your personal experiences out and just relay professional tips? Or should you add in the personal life to remind people they’re dealing with a human being not a robot?
Remembering to be yourself while deciding this is also important.
So for the client who I mentioned; this is what I said:
“ You’re on the right track but I would suggest not to go to the extreme. As we had discussed a few months ago; while I think it’s good for you to remember that your readers want to be helped and find valuable information from you and not just filler; it’s also a good idea to use your personal experiences to also help them. What I mean by this is say you had a horrible experience at a restaurant. You could use this example as a way to underline the importance of great customer service.“
