I came across this tweet and I was perplexed…
Yes. Yes it is horrible (the identifiers have been removed to protect the innocent)
What exactly was the police agency that provided this content into the social stream of Twitter referring to as “Horrible”?
- Was it the story that was hidden in a blind Facebook link?
- Was it the lack of description for what was horrible?
- Was it the pure lack of authenticity in the tweet?
OR - Was it the tweet itself?
I go with the last one. The agency was describing their own tweet as horrible and they’re right on the money…it is horrible.
Why?
Well, for starters look at the first three points above. Because of the three questions that the tweet left me with, it’s a horrible tweet.
It is a waste of time and serves no redeeming purpose or value.
The worst part is that this post on Facebook needs to be seen and if I was a resident of these communities I may have glanced right past the tweet.
Now if the tweet had said, “Help ABC Police find this suspect for the horrible offences he’s alleged to have committed. Check out the Facebook post.” I would for sure click the link. Add a picture of the scumbag in and you’d have me for sure.
How about a pure Tweet that said, “Wanted for sex offences against minors. Can you help get him off the streets? With a picture and a link and a hashtag?? GOLD
Instead you’re asking me to click a link with no description other than the word…”Horrible”
How Does This Happen?
No one just tweets a Facebook link like this. It’s because of a magic feature within Facebook that allows you to post everything you do on Facebook to Twitter. When people are setting up their Facebook account they think to themselves, “Oh what a great idea…it will save me a lot of time.” That translated means, “I only have to do half the work for all the glory.”
It’s very much like the case study about cross populating from Instagram to other platforms. (Click Here To Read That Post)
Well we know the truth of that. If you only do half the work in anything, it’s a job poorly done.
Here Is An Even Worse Example
Apparently the agency above only tweets from Facebook to Twitter….I especially like the first one.
Turn off the auto post from Facebook to Twitter feature and forget you ever saw it.
When you are signed into your Facebook account goto: Facebook.com/Twitter and unlink the pages or your profile from Twitter. (Or at the very least, choose specific content only.) Forget I said that. Just unlink them.
Only linked for demonstration purposes
And before you ask, Yes…unlink your “auto post” from Twitter to Facebook as well.
Be authentic. Be engaging. Be great…not lazy.
