This week I felt like I was being pulled into a whirlpool.

It wasn't client deadlines or algorithm changes throwing me off (again)... but because every social platform turned into everyone else's soapbox.

When the feed floods with political stances, graphic videos, and nothing but bad news, logging off usually isn’t an option.

We get paid to be online.

Instead of adding to the noise, I want to share some approaches that have helped me cope.

3 Realities About Social Media During High Conflict

1. Bad news travels faster than good news. That’s not just a saying, it’s a fact, especially in the social media and political spaces (HBR, 2021). When the trending topics of the day are graphic, negative, or untrue, they're more likely to gain incredible reach. If you’re unsure what’s true, consult legitimate news sources.
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2. Graphic content hits hard and fast. In the early 2010s, there were "citizen journalists" who reported on live events that large media outlets wouldn't/couldn't cover. Today, Twitter/X is still often the first place mass shootings or unrest break. Which means the worst parts of humanity can show up on your feed as quickly as a meme.
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   👉 Pro tip: Audit your feed. Where is the content coming from? News? A connection? A trending tab? Decide how you want to engage with these sources moving forward.
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3. Any statement is political. People post their convictions. Then leaders at big brands see their feeds flooded with opinions. They feel pressured to “make a statement” on behalf of the company. A “We stand with ___” post might feel safe to leaders, but it will divide audiences. Every action (and statement) has an equal and opposite reaction. Rushing decisions or statements DOES NOT go well. Encourage leadership to consult crisis comms professionals before hitting publish.

Professionally, these realities mean we can't prevent these stories from impacting us and our mental health. What we can do is establish a standard operating procedure (SOP) for how we deal with these moving forward.

What Has Worked for Me

When I was client-side, I needed to have strict screen limits or else I would spiral pretty deeply. Here is what worked for me.

• Set consumption boundaries. Instead of doomscrolling, limit on-platform time. I did 30 mins in the morning, 30 in the afternoon. Then log off.
• Separate personal and professional usage. Use social media inbox or feed dashboards for client work (ex. Planable or Sprout Social). Resist the urge to open personal accounts to protect your headspace in your off hours.
• Reframe your role. You cannot fix the internet and all the people on it. Your job is to help manage the brand and protect your mental health.

This is one of the topics that social media pros don't have NEARLY enough training on when we're in school or on the job. We learn how to deal with this on the job. After working through several events like these, here's my main recommendations.

Alert your leadership.

Communicate your professional boundaries.

Put the decision on them.

Here's an email template to help start the conversation instead of being reactive to the opinions of the first person to alert them.

TEMPLATE for Sharing Social Media Emergencies with Leadership

Social media managers need to be trained in crisis comms. We should NOT be the only ones responsible for it. Our role is to guide, protect, and recommend -- that's it!

Managing social media during tense times is hard. It takes more out of us than most people realize.

If you do nothing else, remember: you shouldn't carry it alone.

Wishing you a calm end to your week,

*Editor’s Note: This issue was edited with the assistance of ChatGPT, as this was a challenging topic. I choose to not elaborate on the specific events from this week. My topic focus is on the realities of social media management during times of conflict and how to handle from a professional pov.