How many times in real life are you in a room with thousands of people and can easily share your thoughts, feelings, and opinions with them instantly? The answer is likely every day. While you may not think of social media as a room where thousands are congregated, this figurative comparison is more accurate than you may believe.
It is easy to get caught up in the impulsive nature of social media and post, share, or comment on things that, if you had to share these things in person, in a room full of people, you would be less willing to share with face-to-face accountability.
In Part I of this series, we discussed social media and its impact on horse trainers and their businesses. Part II explored the importance of enlisting a professional to keep things organized and professional in the social media setting.
In this series finale, we cover social media etiquette as it pertains to our evolving horse industry and offers some tips to keep interactions peaceful, insightful, and professional. Even if you aren’t a business owner, take note…these tips are for you.
Number #1
Do: Post Thoughtful Status Updates
Don’t: Over-Share
Many social media outlets are all about status updates. How else would you know where your barn mate had dinner after a long day at a horse show? The question is: do you really care?
Be careful not to over-share and post a slew of obnoxious status updates. Before you post, ask yourself: do you really need to share that thought with the world? Before you click the button and submit your status update, think about who would be interested in your status and why you are posting in the first place.
While people want to read about interesting things going on in your life (such as winning a circuit award at a prestigious horse show), they probably don’t care about the kale smoothie you are having for breakfast or the slew of house chores you have to do post horse show.
Number #2
Do: Use Social Media as an Avenue to Rally Behind a Cause
Don’t: Use Social Media as Way to Argue for no Productive Reason
We have all seen the amazing ways in which social media can bring people together and help them to rally behind a cause about which they are passionate. In the horse world, horse enthusiasts come together on social media to show support for rule changes, help people in the industry in crisis situations, review sale practices, discuss horse shows around the country, etc.
While many of these discussions can be productive and bring awareness to the masses, often, these posts can spiral out of control, and if all of the posters were physically in a room together, they would all be shouting over one another, and no one would be heard.
In these instances, remember that while there is nothing wrong with offering an opinion (especially if it is insightful) when posts turn into arguments, effective communication has ceased and no positive change will likely come from an argument on social media that spirals out of control.
Number #3
Do: Take Advantage of Browsing Through Sale Horses Online
Don’t: Forget That There are Still Certain Protocols Involved with Sales Even if They are Conducted Online
With the rise of the digital age, we have entered a new world where many horse sale transactions start or take place fully online. The convenience of shopping online has muddied the waters when it comes to the sale of horses. Although it is perfectly acceptable to shop on your own, if you are a non-pro with a trainer, it is important to remember that the professional you are working with should be involved in the sale process. A trusted professional will be able to tell you if the horse you fall in love with online is worth the money, a good fit for you, and should be involved with conversations with the seller. The same protocol applies to selling horses online. If the trainer participates with the sale, he/she should be privy to conversations with potential buyers and should play an active role in the sale.
Number #4
Do: Post Photos with Restraint
Don’t: Share Copyrighted Photos or Photos of Others They Would not Want you to Share
Everyone in the horse industry loves to see pictures of our favorite four-legged animals. There is nothing like seeing a picture of a gorgeous horse in a breathtaking setting while scrolling through your newsfeed and enjoying your morning coffee.
However, the same experience is not nearly as enjoyable if you are the photographer who captured that photo and it is shared without permission. While sharing beautiful and engaging photos is a must, there are proper steps that must be taken to use copyrighted work.
Also, pictures of others should not be posted unless they have given their consent. Just because you love a picture and want to share it, does not mean that others in the picture want it paraded around on social media. Be thoughtful and mindful when you post photos. Make sure they are appropriate for a public forum and will elicit a positive response.
Number #5
Do: Use Social Media to Keep up With the Latest News in the Industry
Don’t: Believe Everything You Read
Social media has become a primary source for news both inside and outside of the horse industry. While news can be easy to come by and many people share stories and updates about the industry, it is important to remember to fact check because, unless the information is coming from a reputable news source like GoHorseShow, not everything you read is true.
Don’t take social media news as the gospel. It is an inconsistent news source. Make sure you do your research and search for information from other sources. If you have any questions, there is nothing wrong with using the good old telephone to make some phone calls to relevant sources to ask more questions about the news being posted on social media.
Number #6
Do: Join Groups and Community Forums
Don’t: Ignore Group and Forum Community Rules
There are a plethora of common interest groups online and joining these groups are one of the many perks that social media users can utilize to get in touch with like-minded people with similar interests.
Once you are in a group, there is nothing more annoying than people who don’t play by the rules. For example: if you are in a group of western pleasure horses for sale and the rules state that the price must be listed publicly, there is nothing more irritating than seeing a bunch of sale ads with the sale price unlisted or ambiguous ads lacking information.
Each one of these groups has its set of rules in place for a reason, whether it is to protect its member’s right to privacy, promote a common goal, or to keep the peace in the chat forum. It is important to know and abide by the rules in each group in order to be a respectful member of that individual community.
Number #7
Do: Build a Network
Don’t: Abuse Your Network
Building a network is one of the building blocks of social media, and it is important to remember to use your system the correct way. Don’t post how your day is going and every detail of your life to your network all day long. It is unprofessional and unnecessary. Have you ever heard of the old Aesop Fable, “The Boy who Cried, Wolf?” By calling out for attention over and over again, the boy in the fable ended up exhausting his audience who kept showing up to help him. When the boy needed help because a wolf was coming after his sheep, he lost his entire flock because no one took his cry for help seriously.
By over-posting and over-sharing, you will end up like the boy in the fable and people in your network will lose interest and take what you have to say or share less seriously. Make sure you are posting mindfully and actively thinking about your network when you post. While pictures of horses are always appreciated in our horse network, if you post about every mundane detail (vet bills, small injuries, what grain you are feeding your horse at the current time), people will be less likely to show interest when you post something that actually requires network feedback.
Number #8
Do: Be Yourself and Express your Opinion Online
Don’t: Forget That Anything You Post is Online Forever
While social media is a form of self-expression and we live in a free country where freedom of speech is celebrated, it is important to remember that everything you post online is public. It doesn’t matter whether you’ve deleted the message or status if you’ve published it, it’s traceable.
When you post things on social media or any online forum, you are creating your cyber fingerprint, and just like actual prints, cyber fingerprints can get you into trouble.
Number #9
Do: Use Social Media as Another Mode of Communication
Don’t: Forget the Etiquette Involved in Professional Relationships
One of the conveniences of social media is the ability to communicate passively and conveniently while behind the computer screen. However, certain boundaries still need to be respected in relationships despite the mode of communication being used.
For example: if you are a horse trainer and you use social media as a way of communicating with your clients, it may be easier to get a hold of your youth client. However, certain conversations should happen with the parent of the youth client and not directly with the child.
Social media tends to blur the lines of acceptable communication and, therefore, it is important to think about the impact the same conversation taking place on social media would have in person.
Follow the same guidelines that you would use in face-to-face communication and think about the consequences of leaving any involved parties out of the loop. Sometimes social media communication can be lazy and although unintentional, that laziness and lack of communication to all interested parties can cause unnecessary rifts in relationships, both personal and professional.
Number #10
Do: Remember the Golden Rule
Don’t: Forget That We are All People Behind Computer Screens
It is important to remember that you should always act the way you would want to be treated.
If you care about people crediting you and your opinion, make sure you credit them. If you value polite and peaceful communication, be polite and peaceful in your responses to others.
Be the example you’d like others to follow. If you put out positivity online, you’ll most likely get it back. If you use your social media presence to connect with others in a polite, productive, and positive way, you’re sure to be a social media guru in no time.
