Twitter Profanity & Reputation

I’m a huge Twitter fan …it’s the first app on my iPhone that I look at in the morning and the last I check at night. I look to it as my daily news source and my industry information insider. I “favorite” tweets to read later and I rely on it as a critical part of my day as a business professional and social media enthusiast (aka: fanatic).

It’s obvious that I’m not alone. I follow several hundred people, companies, and news sources including social media “experts” and analysts, market research firms, social designers, marketing agencies, relevant social media industry and news sources, and so on. I consider the people and entities that I follow to be the elite in their respected fields. I am continuously reviewing and cultivating who I follow in order to ensure that I am receiving the most valuable and targeted information possible. I’ve come to respect the people, companies, and resources that I follow.

So what happens when someone that you’ve grown to admire, respect, and regard as an “expert” in their field uses profanity in their tweets? I don’t know about you, but it makes me feel a little uneasy and less likely to regard them as a professional who is serious about the topic (in my case the topic is social media) that they align with. Since the majority of Twitterers that I follow are social media professionals/companies/sources or, in one way or another, utilize social media in marketing, sales, and design, I just don’t expect profanity in their tweets.

Now I’m no saint …I’ve been known to drop an “f-bomb” (this is NYC) in the office from time-to-time, but I have to say that in the circle that I travel in on Twitter, profanity just seems strange, odd, unnecessary, and out of place and I think this is why …

There’s a difference between using profanity in an office setting and using it on Twitter. In an office, you’re amongst your peers, working together toward common goals, pushing one another in different directions, and trying to make things happen. Profanity can become a way to vent or humor one another. It’s expressed within the confines of the office and becomes part of the office culture, and not heard by clients and prospective clients. But, when you decide to use profanity on Twitter, everyone – prospects, clients, peers, referrals, mentors, family, competitors – they all hear it and it could affect their image of you as a professional or an “expert” in your field.

So I guess my point is this …it’s important to always remember that your reputation is everything in social media. Reputation can make or break your personal brand. You never know whose out there following you, who admires your insight, or who might be your next million dollar deal and/or hire you for your dream job. With that said, it’s probably a good idea to keep things professional, aligned with your goals, and G-rated.