Today’s message is another Public Service Announcement. I’m going to give you some tools to help you effectively communicate on social media.
If you’re the type of person who replies to posts just to troll or vent, then you’re not going to find this useful. But, if you want to engage with people in a meaningful and productive way, I think these tips might help.
Here we go…
Be polite – If you try to make your point by throwing around words like “fuck” and “asshole”, no one is going to take you seriously. That language might have at one time impressed your 12-year-old friends, but you’re not in the 7th grade anymore. Act like it.
Be nice – Don’t make it personal by insulting someone. Example: Telling someone that you don’t agree with that they are the type of person who would defend pedophiles or they probably think that rape victims deserve it, isn’t persuasive. It only demonstrates that you use flawed logic.
Stay on point – Don’t hijack a thread for your own cause. If you want to change the subject, start your own conversation.
Use your own words – If you want to convince someone of your point of view, tell them what YOU believe and why YOU believe it. Don’t just parrot a slogan or catchphrase that you heard someone else use. Likewise, don’t respond by posting a meme or a link. Those are someone else’s words, not yours.
Make it easy to be understood – Use proper English, skip obscure references and don’t use abbreviations that only you understand. You want people to focus on what you’re saying, not on decoding how you’re saying it.
Count to 10 – If you’re upset, take a few moments to calm down before responding. Think about what was said and what you want to say. Don’t react emotionally. If you react emotionally, it is much more difficult for you to be polite and be nice (see above).
Acknowledge agreements when possible – You might not agree on all points, but you might actually agree on others. If you agree with a part of what was said, lead with that. You’re much more likely to get people to listen to you if you can point out some common ground.
I’m sure you’ve heard that “you only get one chance to make a good first impression”. That old saying is even more relevant on the Internet. What you say, and how you say it, will be around for a very long time. If you use insults, foul language and flawed logic, someone will likely see it long after you’ve forgotten about what you posted. But, that may be what they use to form their first impression of you. Wouldn’t you want that impression to be a good one?
If you want to be listened to, use facts, logic and reason. Just stating what you believe is fine, but if you want people to really listen, back it up with something that they can use to consider your point of view. You need to articulate not only what you believe but why you believe it, and why they should believe it too.
And always remember, arguing isn’t the same as fighting. You can disagree with someone without taking off the gloves and throwing punches.
