Before the internet and social media if you were quoted in the news, it would usually only appear once in print and on TV. But, that is certainly not the case now. If and when you are in the news, it appears on multiple social media outlets. This is a good and bad thing.

The Power of Social Media
For example, say you are quoted in an article for an online magazine. The reporter puts in out there on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Google Plus and Snapchat. Then, the online publication does the same thing. Next, other people quoted in the article post it on social media. And finally, it is shared and re-tweeted from others.

It’s great for you if the story is good, but imagine if you said something to the reporter that perhaps you regret. Buckle up, because you’ve got a tough ride ahead.

Reputation on the Line
I’ve seen this happen to someone I know. The person submitted information to a reporter on a particular subject. It was a bit personal to them, so they were brutally honest about it.  But, maybe a bit too honest. Some of the information that they provided to the reporter was a little raw. Maybe too raw. When the article came out, the publication put her quote in large font to draw in the readers. It was controversial and did attract the readers.

If I was the reporter and editor, I would have been jumping up and down over that quote. But, for the person quoted in the article, this was not good for her at all. It painted her in a negative light. Interesting enough, as negative as she appeared, all of the reader comments were positive. But, this is not how she wanted to be portrayed in the media and for a while it was a hot story. It was not a good thing for her reputation and the image she had worked so hard to create.

Think Before You Write
The moral of this story is to really think before your submit any information to a reporter or blogger. Re-read it multiple times and have someone else take a look at it. Take a hard look at it and ask yourself: if any of this gets printed, are you okay with that? Keep in mind that everything you write, they can use. And, once it’s out there, it’s REALLY out there. Be prepared!