Silent Strategy: When to Keep Quiet on Social Media

The power of silence on social media and when it’s best to keep quiet

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Social media channels have transformed the marketing landscape, giving every kind of business a direct and legitimate route into consumers’ lives. However, some businesses are guilty of using social media as a nonstop megaphone rather than a smart, subtle communication tool to reach customers. Posting too often or communicating inappropriately can actually do more harm than good. Sometimes — for any business using social media — staying silent is the best strategy.

This guide looks at why staying silent on social media is sometimes the best policy, highlights the risks of saying too much, and explores the specific scenarios when keeping quiet is simply the smarter choice.

Why Is Silence on Social Media Sometimes the Best Policy?

Occasionally, voicing your opinion may have negative consequences and damage your business’s reputation. For example, speaking out immediately following a natural disaster may appear self-serving. Similarly, making a controversial statement around a certain topic that’s later found to be incorrect or insensitive could make your business seem uninformed or thoughtless.

By staying silent when other businesses are being distracted by unproductive online conversations, you can focus on potentially more valuable lines of communication with your audience, such as email or advertising. Then, when you do have something truly valuable to communicate on social media, your audience is more likely to pay attention. Ultimately, by carefully choosing your moments to communicate, you can come across as a more thoughtful, strategic company.

There are a few misconceptions about taking a more restrained approach to social media posting:

• It means you have nothing to say or you’re out of touch.
• It’ll decrease audience engagement.
• It shows you lack confidence in your brand.
• It shows a lack of interest in your audience.

In truth, staying silent on social media at the right times is a thoughtful communication strategy that avoids…