Social Media Mistakes: Some Tips On How To Recover From Online Blunders

(Reuters) - Social media is legendary for its transparency and speed, but that also means that your mistakes can be wildly visible. Being upfront is a good way to start recovering, says Harvard Business Review.

The Management Tip of the Day offers quick, practical management tips and ideas from Harvard Business Review and HBR.org (www.hbr.org). Any opinions expressed are not endorsed by Reuters.

"One of the key benefits of social media is that your messages can reach more people faster. But this also means that your mistakes can too.

Whether you accidentally tweet an insensitive message or a customer posts a disparaging video about your product, don't panic. The key is to leverage the misstep to your advantage. The same medium that made your mistake wildly visible can help broadcast your apology.

Don't attempt to manipulate the truth. Be up-front about the mistake and apologize. When everyone can see what you're doing, you need to act with transparency, honesty, and credibility."

- Today's management tip was adapted from "The Simple Way to Avoid Social Media Failures" by Jeff Stibel.

(For the full post, see: here)

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Comments

[JWoode]

09:45 PM on 10/10/2011

How To Recover From Facebook Blunders?

For my nephew.. a divorce took care of it.

[Jessica J89]

08:55 PM on 10/10/2011

My FB account is out of control once I accepted and added everyone I knew since high school. The changing privacy controls does not help either. Now I use my FB account to check what's going on with distant friends. I use my Sharelendar account for my 'everyday' friends. We have to adapt to the changes. FB to 'check' what's going on with my 800+ friends. Sharelendar to stay in touch with my 30 friends. There no reason to not have 2 accounts especially when both are free and they offer different services. Try this and you will Not have any social media mistakes!

[Robert Turner]

09:11 AM on 10/10/2011

How to recover from social media mistakes:
1) Say "FUCKLULZ! OMG!"
2) Make a TV show featuring your overweight sisters, obsessive, self-aggrandizing mom and non-existent step-father.
3) Marry a Palin.
4) Stop social media'ing.

[Red Russet]

08:59 AM on 10/10/2011

"Whether you accidentally tweet an insensitive message"

How can it be an accident? If you tweet something "insensitive" you must be a clod to begin with.

[Winski]

02:44 AM on 10/10/2011

Old Chinese proverb say, 'when lost, go back to the beginning'....

In this context it's 'don't involved in this hoax in the first place'.

[Kunal Bambawale]

01:43 AM on 10/10/2011

"Don't attempt to manipulate the truth. Be up-front about the mistake and apologize." I agree - integrity is the foundation of any strong business. #pq499

[mass maritimer]

12:07 AM on 10/10/2011

fine for nice polite souls.....too bad huffpo is full of angry, mean people who type some pretty bloody obnoxious stuff......

[partisanpolitico]

11:57 PM on 10/09/2011

I've found if I'm composing an email that is critical or lecturing in tone, I wait 2 or more hours before sending and read it again. I usually delete it and make a phone call instead.

[frank1946]

10:45 PM on 10/09/2011

School age children and teenagers like this Social Media type stuff.................and pretty Girls !

Reminds me of the "Gibson Girls" of long ago.......................Boys never change.

My son is addicted to these Habits.................it is Reality for our Teens ?

[StarGazingAwe]

09:04 PM on 10/09/2011

good advice!

[TheBestLackAllConviction]

03:37 PM on 10/09/2011

One is not compelled to use social media and in business, typically the gatekeeper is trainned in "do no harm" commuications.

Never hurts to be always civil. The irony is that social media might help some with human interactions!

[llozano]

03:05 PM on 10/09/2011

Best way to avoid these mistakes is not to use social media if you are not very well versed in computers. Also, a simple rule of thumb; don't put anything outthere that you don't want your mother to know. Also, read the guidelines first before using and don't friend anyone you don't know. There are more but the first one is the most important.

[BuckyJamesDio]

10:21 PM on 10/09/2011

Good points. If ever I find myself even remotely wondering if I should post something, I will refrain from hitting the button, no matter how much I may want to at that moment. It's so much easier to bite your tongue before than to eat your words later.

[inguatu]

02:35 PM on 10/09/2011

funny that a media site like HP is showing others how to recover from screw-ups. Sheep calling the sheep black?

[CabCurious]

02:06 PM on 10/09/2011

Related News On Huffington Post: Weiner's Other Mistake

[Desolati0n]

01:51 PM on 10/09/2011

In cases like this, a Ctrl + Z button for life would be fantastic.

[TheBestLackAllConviction]

03:38 PM on 10/09/2011

My two favorite keys to push!