With all that’s going on in the world, reading websites, blogs and social media can be a little disheartening or overwhelming right now.
A lot of high profile comments, views and headlines are seen by millions of people, just because of the person behind them, or the issues they’re discussing.
It’s easy to feel like we have to be first to share the latest news, the latest gaffe or the latest controversy. That pressure to share means that we rarely take time to think, add our voice to the conversation or share something we’ve learned.
In the past, if you felt strongly something or wanted to make yourself heard, you wrote a letter the local paper or relevant authority.
Later on, you might have left a comment below a news article or blog post.
Somewhere along the line we stopped doing those things. We began only consuming information, sharing it without comment, or maybe adding the odd emoji to say how we felt.
If you want to feel more confident online or better understand how different channels work, there are some simple things you can do:
Read
Read articles or watch videos before you share. Just because something comes from a reputable or popular source, doesn’t mean it has to be worth sharing
Explain
When you do share a link, video, image or news article, add a comment to explain why you’re sharing it in the first place
Don’t judge
Remember that there’s always a value attached to what you read online. Even if you don’t agree with something, it helps you understand what others are seeing, including your audience. I don’t enjoy reading some of my friends’ political views, but as long as they are part of a mix of views, they have value. You can influence your social media bubble.
Contribute
If you book a hotel or restaurant off the back of online reviews, don’t forget to share your experience too.