I love receiving Alan Stevens’ weekly newsletter and over time have posted some of his articles I reckon will be of assistance to my readers. This thoughtful article is one of his Social Media Tips of the week:
“It’s as easy as anything to get on to social media, type your thoughts and post the message. It takes a matter of seconds.
But hold on a moment (and I mean that literally). Did you really mean to post what you wrote? Or were you just typing something out of frustration or annoyance that could be gone in a few minutes?
Yes, you can edit a post, or even delete it. But it’s possible that even in the time you take to reconsider, someone may have taken a screenshot of your comment. It’s now become permanent, and as some people have found to their cost, potentially very damaging.
So here’s a little mantra to help you avoid posting in haste. Write, Think, Edit, Think, Post.
- Write – simply put down what’s in your head, without trying to filter it
- Think whether it is what you want to post
- Edit – spelling, grammar, use of words, any personal comments about opponents etc.
- Think about your edited post – do you want to revise it again, or delete it?
- Post – only when you are totally happy with it, commit it to posterity
That process could save you an awful lot of bother in the future.
I would add one more – post it tomorrow – the genius that is your subconscious will work on it for the better overnight!
Excellent thought thanks Richard! I will repeat that article in a few weeks with your comment coz I think it is so valuable!