The Cost of Exposure: Celebrity Social Media Mistakes to Avoid

Between Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Vine, Snapchat and more, social media has given us unfettered access to one another -- to our friends, to strangers, and for celebrities, to their fans.

These sites give celebrities a platform to interact with their fan base and share their lives with the world, resulting in a proverbial double-edged sword.

What to Know about Social Media and Celebrities

Don't be fooled; many celebrities have built and strengthened their own personal brands through social media, while others have been propelled to stardom by it. Social media has immense power in building a fan base -- and by extension -- giving power and influence to projects or causes that are important to public figures.

However, a celebrity's presence on social media must be strategic and properly safeguarded to avoid costly missteps. Below I've outlined a few best practices for celebrities (and/or their brand managers) to avoid common social media blunders.

1. Protect All Personal Information

Celebrities are human, and they want to use social media like everyone else -- to share where they are, who they're with and what they're doing with friends, family, and the world. Unfortunately, high-profile users must take added precautions. Giving unfiltered access to their whereabouts can make celebrity clients a potential target for stalking, robberies, and other crimes.

Advise clients to never post personal information or their current location to social media. This includes indirect sharing, such as checking in at a store or posting a photo with a restaurant in the background. If they wish to share this information, advise them not to post it in real time.

Make sure clients can communicate privately with those they trust. Katy Perry learned this the hard way, when she accidentally gave out her phone number while posting a video of her dog, Butters (the number was visible on his tag).

2. Be Cautious About What They Post

Whether your clients are informal role models or have a contracted endorsement or sponsorship, they must understand that what they say publicly can damage their career. For instance:

• Kim Kardashian recently promoted a morning sickness drug on Instagram that drew a warning from the FDA.
• Alec Baldwin went on a Twitter rant against a homosexual reporter in 2013, which ended up offending the entire LGBT community.
• James Franco found himself in hot water after a private Instagram conversation between him and a 17-year-old girl was made public.

Make sure clients are clear on the stated and unstated boundaries of any contracts they sign. However, keep in mind that you also have a responsibility to advocate on your clients' behalf during contract negotiations, and proactively offset risk when possible.

3. Build a Trustworthy Team

Some celebrities choose to manage their own social media accounts in order to maintain a more authentic connection to their fans. Others hire an expert to manage accounts for them, or opt for a hybrid approach.

If your client wishes to hire a social media strategist or team, make sure all hires are properly vetted and trained. Employees are possibly the most risky, and the most overlooked client liability. Any social media team should have clear guidelines on what can and cannot be shared, how to represent the client's personal brand, and how to engage with fans (or critics) on social platforms.

Devise a Risk Management Strategy

Social media is powerful because it gives the public unprecedented access to the rich and the famous. This presents opportunities as well as risks for your clients. Fortunately, these risks can be premeditated, transferred and offset through a strategic risk management program.

Note: A version of this post originally appeared on www.INGUARD.com.

For additional tips and information about working with celebrity clientele, visit the INGUARD blog.