How Brands Can Offset the Downsides of Social Media

Social media is a mixed bag. These platforms have led to both positive and negative outcomes for consumers, businesses, and society as a whole.

The cons of social media can feel overwhelming at times: misinformation, increased depression, social isolation, addiction, and a booster of hate speech.

There's definitely a need here for government regulations, more thoughtfully designed social channels, and for all of us to adopt healthier social media habits.

To improve social media for the better and address the serious drawbacks, the first step is recognizing that each of these issues has different solutions.

Other than all of us disconnecting from these services completely, which isn't going to happen, there's no one-size-fits-all approach to fixing social media.

However, brands using social media have an opportunity to make strategic choices that progress their agenda and address some of these key challenges.

In this edition of Social Media Marketing Trends, we'll review the variety of ways brands can do their part in diminishing the downsides of social media.

Addressing structural and acute harms on social media

As a starting point, there are two primary types of issues on social media: acute harms and structural problems, according to Nathaniel Lubin , an expert in addressing systemic challenges with technology. Acute harms are problems directly resulting from individual pieces of content like misinformation or hate speech, while structural problems are the long-term effects of social media as a product, such as decreasing civic trust and rising loneliness and depression. Hear his insights first-hand on how to solve these distinctive problems, and how brands can thoughtfully participate.

Build a positive platform with community moderation

58% of Americans say that social media negatively affects their mental health. That’s often the case because controversial, confrontational, and emotional content gets prioritized on social media as it drives the most engagement.

Businesses should be mindful of how they’re using these channels to avoid any associations between their brand and the negative connotations of social media. You can support your customers and protect your reputation by thoughtfully managing and consistently monitoring the experience you offer to your community on social media. Listen to the full lesson on how to do this effectively.

Encouraging healthier social media usage

Social media has many upsides, but it can also be used to spread misinformation and hate, and has been proven to be addictive. As a business, it is up to your team to use social media responsibly and encourage others to do the same.

Companies are embracing the use of social media to communicate the merits of logging off of social media and participating in activities offline. REI, an outdoor apparel company, has been using the #OptOutside campaign for over five years to encourage their customers to log off and spend time in nature. Give this lesson a listen on communicating the value of healthier social media habits.

Counteracting misinformation on social media

Misinformation is a widespread problem on social media, and companies such as Coca-Cola and Pfizer have experienced it firsthand. To protect their reputation, companies should provide media literacy training to employees to ensure they're aware of fake accounts and be careful about how they respond to any social media posts. They should also pay close attention to what's being said about their organization on social media and recognize that it may not all be accurate.

Double-check before responding to something, and report news and content about the company that seems questionable to your supervisor and team for an internal review. When false or misleading information about the brand is starting to gain widespread visibility, it is important to address it quickly and thoughtfully on social media with a truth sandwich. Learn more about this concept by listening to my conversation with Erin McNeill , the founder of Media Literacy Now.

This is a highlight reel of my LinkedIn Learning course on Social Media Marketing Trends, which has been taken by over 125,000+ students.