Social media is sometimes a blessing and sometimes a curse. It’s great when it connects you to friends and colleagues across the world. But because many people use these platforms to share both professional and personal content, determining what is appropriate to post can be difficult.

For association professionals, social media becomes particularly challenging when members complain about your posts. I found myself in that situation a few years ago, when my association held its annual meeting in Hawaii. While I was staffing a session, I posted a picture of myself on the beach that I had taken the day before, after the sessions had ended. After the conference, my boss heard from a member (a Facebook connection), complaining that I had been relaxing at the beach when I should have been working.

Since then, I’ve reflected extensively and spoken to colleagues about the right way for association executives to use social media. I’ve developed a model that is easy as ABC, where A stands for audience, B for brand, and C for content.

Audience

Think about the people you connect with on social media platforms. Who do you want to see your posts? Do you want your posts to be public or private? Your audience might vary depending on the platform. For example, you might choose to make your Twitter posts public so that everyone can see them, but limit your Facebook posts to friends only. Some platforms, including Facebook, let you post different content to different audiences. An alternative is to have separate accounts for professional and personal content.

It’s good to have these options, but realize that the more complicated you make your settings, the easier it will be to make a mistake. Be thoughtful about your connections, and think through why you want to connect with certain people on particular platforms. Once you develop your boundaries, stick to them.

Brand

What is the image that you want to present to others on social media? Your posts contribute heavily to your brand and how others will see you. This may vary based on platform and audience. If you want to be seen as knowledgeable on membership and marketing, posting about those topics on social media will demonstrate that expertise to colleagues (and recruiters!). Be proactive about posting content that is consistent with the brand you want to pursue.

Content

What you post, comment, or like is as important as your brand. Association executives are well connected, and it’s advantageous to keep your content professional. While it is possible to limit access to audiences, remember that anything you post connected to your name could become public. A post on a private Instagram account could be captured via screenshot and forwarded to your CEO, your board president, or members.

Especially consider the impact of political posts. Most associations have members on both sides of the aisle, some of whom may resent political posts showcasing your affinity for an opposing viewpoint. If you feel you must express a political opinion, a less visible strategy on Twitter is to like posts rather than retweet content.

Finally, consider a quarterly review and cleanup of your social media accounts. A regular cleanup will make it easier when you decide to start looking for a new job. It’s always worthwhile to check what strangers will find on your social media, because you can assume that recruiters and search committees will review your presence on social platforms.

What you post, comment, or like is as important as your brand. Association executives are well connected, and it’s advantageous to keep your content professional.

What I Learned

Reflecting on my Hawaii Facebook post and using this ABC model, I can see that I made mistakes with audience and content. I should have recognized that I was connected to lots of of my members on Facebook. In hindsight, it is no surprise that some folks might have thought I was beach-bumming rather than working. I also should have considered the risk of posting leisure content during work hours. Looking back, had I delayed my post until after the workday ended or after the conference, it would not have raised any concerns with my members.

Considering this ABC approach, when I started a new job as executive director at the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, I made these decisions about my social media use:

• On Facebook, I restrict my connections to friends. I have told CAMFT members that I do not connect with them there. I’ve always avoided connecting with people on Facebook who report to me, so I continue that rule.
• My Twitter account (@drnabil) is a mix of professional and personal posts. I maintain a focus on association and healthcare content, as well as photos of graffiti—a hobby that has become part of my brand. I follow many CAMFT members and retweet their content regularly.
• My Instagram account (@drnabil) is public and primarily personal, with photos of graffiti and my travel—and a sprinkling of association content.
• On LinkedIn (drnabilelghoroury), I connect with members, association colleagues, and friends, and that content is 99 percent professional for me.

There is no single path for navigating social media. It’s up to you to determine how you want to represent yourself on these platforms. This ABC model is a framework for thinking about social media and being proactive to avoid missteps.