She lost some lucrative endorsements because of her ill-considered Instagram post about the Israel-Palestine conflict that earned her huge flack. Sashi held a press conference to unpack her intentions on how she plans on making amends to the damage done to her brand.
Influencer Relations Manager Phindile Shabangu gives tips on how influencers can maintain a good reputation, while staying on the right side of the public and the law.
Create your own social media policy
If social media is your business, and a means of earning income, then you need to take every precaution to protect that income and your reputation. A good way to address this is to develop your own social media policy, just like companies do. Write down what you must steer clear of, such as religion or politics. Remind yourself of what you want to communicate and be associated with. Think of this policy as a personal bible, of sorts.
Think, and recheck before posting
This guideline might sound obvious, but if everyone really did follow it, then social media scandals would be non-existent! Read your post at least twice before you click on ‘tweet’ or ‘share’, especially if the post refers to one of the brands you want to promote. Check each post against your personal social media policy. It’s also a great idea to get final ‘signoff’ from a trusted friend on each of your posts.
A second eye not only helps you pick up careless errors, but also gives you an objective perspective on what you’ve written. Also, unless your primary purpose as an influencer is to continually court controversy, think twice before posting something that could be offensive, especially if it is in the heat of the moment. Social media is a breeding ground for kneejerk reactions and heightened emotions, making it the ideal platform for ruined reputations.
Stay true to what you stand for
The primary reason for influencer marketing being so popular is that, what influencers post, really resonates with their fans. Your followers may value your take on fashion trends, or love your tongue-in-cheek cooking videos, or relate to your posts on life as a 20-something in Cape Town. Remember, then, that authenticity is key. The content you post and share should reflect who you really are, so don’t support products or people that don’t resonate with you.
