The old saying “If you don’t have anything nice to say, then say nothing at all” is sage advice, especially on modern media platforms.

Recent “battles” on and with various platforms–Twitter, Instagram and the like–are causing otherwise polite people to become vicious keyboard warriors who likely wouldn’t behave the same way in a public, in-person forum.

While one may think vicious posts and attempts to “cancel” other performers don’t impact the original poster, this is a false narrative. Engaging in baiting and aggressive behavior can have a negative fallback on all parties involved. And no one comes out an actual winner.

Fans follow performers on social media for several reasons. Obviously, they love the free previews. But also because they want to know what you’re DOING. When you consistently post negative dialogue or complaints, you are pushing people away from the brand you’re attempting to build. Fans are there to adore you–and hopefully purchase your content.

But if you’re constantly waging wars or being negative, you’re going to attract the wrong attention–and that doesn’t equate to more money in your pocket.

Rather than posting about someone who has angered you or something trivial that hasn’t gone right, take it up with the other party in private. The court of public opinion is not where these fights should happen. If it’s a legal matter of your safety, clearly take that up with the authorities. If your issue is an ongoing mental health problem, seek out help through services like the MV Help Line, Pineapple Support, or your local healthcare provider.

The way to get ahead and be stronger than your real or digital enemies is to continue promoting your work and focusing on what YOU can do better, rather how someone else may have slighted you.

The mute and block features are your friend in this scenario. There’s a tenuous balance in social media between promotion and talking about your real life. The balance should always shift more toward promoting your brand and positive posts. Scroll through your social media posts and take the temperature of what you’re putting out. If it’s more heated (negative), scale back and ask yourself what you’ve gained from them. If you need a break from social media to refocus, schedule your posts using a service like Hootsuite or Buffer and back away from the keyboard for a couple of days.

If you still need to get something off your chest, confide in a close friend or ally. Write in a diary. There are lots of free, helpful ways to work through your negative moments that don’t belong on social media.

So the next time you’re thinking of taking part in a public fight or starting one, think before you post. Think of how you’ll appear to your fans. Think of how your posts will reflect on your brand. Think of how it can affect your income.

At the end of the day, YOU are your brand, and you want to put forth the best image of your brand possible.

SaraStar