The Balance Between Transparency and Privacy

We have constantly been told by experts (and our parents) to not give away personal information online. Addresses, phone numbers, where we will be at certain times, and personal ID numbers are all off limits because they could be used against us to harm us financially or physically.

Being transparent and "real" with online activity and identity are very important these days. Instead of hiding behind "coolguy14" on blogs, online accounts, and screen names, many people are opting to use their real names and become more transparent with their actions. But have we become too comfortable with transparency? Are we ringing the dinner bell, ready to serve up our personal info?

I regularly read/watch a lot of different bloggers and social media people out on the internet. I know what these people look like, what some of their interests are, their ages, and where many of them live. Does Gary Vaynerchuk ever worry that someone will track him down and kill him? Okay, so that's a little extreme, but what could a malicious person do with all of this easily accessible information?

Now more than ever it is extremely important to be mindful of what kind of information we provide, and how we provide it. If we tweet our home address, that information will always be out there for people to find for years. Mistakes and slip-ups are very possible with the level of comfort many now feel online. I believe it is important that you are truthful and real with people you interact with online, but building online brand identity and equity doesn't mean you have to risk your safety or future.

Social Media and Expecting the Worst

Convince&Convert have a great blog post about companies assuming the worst from social media.

Why do companies assume the worst from social media?

Because they have no control. They worry that when they open themselves up to criticism that consumers will do their worst and unload on them. Companies and people fear things that they cannot control.

Three things companies need to realize:

1. Your customers are already talking about you. This is obvious to 99.9% of you reading this blog post, but some people still don't get it. Do a simple blog or twitter search and see what comes up.

2. Social media is an opportunity, not a threat. Social media gives you the opportunity to connect with customers in a personal way. Creating 100 brand ambassadors through social media will do more for your brand than a 30 second commercial to 1 million people could ever do. Take a look at any article about Microsoft or Apple. In the comments section you will see people defending their brand whether it is a Mac or PC. Leverage social media effectively and you can create consumers who will do the marketing for you.

3. Social media isn't a fad. Change isn't always easy, but evolution is necessary to survive. Your company wouldn't continue to constantly put out the same product year after year without making any improvements to the product, would it? So why would you continue to use the same marketing strategy year after year when there are better ways to connect with consumers?


The Risk and Reward

You never assume the worst will happen in any given situation, so why do it with social media? If I assumed the worst about my drive to work this morning, I probably would have stayed home. Just like with every other decision in life, you should calculate the risk/reward and act accordingly. Social media is no different. Rewards are waiting for those who act.