Timing is everything.
In social media…well… that’s amplified.
The Boston Red Sox made a splash today with two free agent signings: Hanley Ramirez (last with the LA Dodgers) and Pablo Sandoval (last with the San Francisco Giants). Huge news in the world of Major League Baseball. Red Sox nation was excited, as one would expect. Nothing had been tweeted from the official Red Sox account regarding these signings. Until tonight.
Shortly after the announcement that Officer Darren Wilson would not be charged in the shooting death of Michael Brown tonight in Missouri, the Red Sox tweeted the news out. Many were outraged at the lack of “awareness”. Some understood.
About that Sox tweet, they signed Sandoval and Ramirez today (as a few of you reminded me). Still bad timing, but not crazy. #smsports
— Kelly Mosier (@kmosier42) November 25, 2014
On a night like tonight, timing is everything on social media. Intention doesn’t always come across on social media. Neither does sarcasm. As well intentioned as the Red Sox wanted it to be, their poor timing caused an uproar. Just like
Poor timing again.
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King and the Red Sox weren’t alone.
No Kate I won't need a hero. But whoever forgot to pull the plug on this tweet will. pic.twitter.com/1rGd7k8urd
— Shawn Francis (@TheOffsideRules) November 25, 2014
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Even celebrities weren’t immune.
Tonight is probably the best night ever had a very long time.
— will.i.am (@iamwill) November 25, 2014
The replies to his tweet show that assumption is the first reaction.
The replies above bring up a good point. There is a certain expectation when it comes to news today. The expectation to know what’s going on in each other’s world. Not everyone is on Twitter or paying attention to the news on Twitter, 24/7. King was covering a football game. will.i.am didn’t know about it yet. Herbstreit was busy being a dad.
Rosen would later apologize.
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Yes, Twitter is a great live-event conversation. Twitter is also a terrible live-event conversation. Interpretations of a tweet lead to assumptions. Assumptions lead to misunderstandings like what you see above. Not everyone is consumed with the Twitter conversation on “your” timeline. To assume otherwise is unfair. But, that goes both ways.
When running a social media account for a team or brand like the Red Sox, awareness has to be at the top of the list. Awareness, or rather, listening. Listen not just to what your fans or customers are telling you or saying about you. It also involves listening to what is happening in your community.
Tonight, the community-at-large is talking about Michael Brown, Darren Wilson and Ferguson.
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Apologies, whether necessary or not, did come:
Had no idea until about 15 minutes ago that a verdict had been reached in Ferguson, Missouri. My apologies for my lack of awareness.
— Kirk Herbstreit (@KirkHerbstreit) November 25, 2014
Pardon the use of the word "indictment." My fault. Referring only to football. Not watching the news now.
— Peter King (@peter_king) November 25, 2014
#FergusonDecision…I just found about the verdict…I feel sick to my stomach…I'm angry & confused…I feel betrayed….America is lost
— will.i.am (@iamwill) November 25, 2014
And…just because you CAN tweet, doesn’t mean you SHOULD:
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