Even if you don’t consider yourself a fan of Kanye West or an ardent follower of drama on the Internet, it is unlikely you haven’t heard about the rapper’s latest antics on social media, which range from berating his estranged wife Kim Kardashian and her boyfriend comedian Pete Davidson. Or, perhaps you missed the juiciest bits considering West’s propensity for posting and deleting in swift succession. However, in a rare moment of self-awareness a few weeks earlier, West traded in his childish barbs for an admission of accountability and a desire to work on his communication skills. While that moment has since passed (West has resumed his relentless trolling and bullying with renewed vigour), it makes a strong case for the power of the written word, especially for text-dominated posts on social platforms. “With social media, what matters as much as what you say is how you package it. Before posting online, therefore, it’s important to choose your words carefully as what you write can easily be misread or misunderstood,” explains Aditya Singh, co-founder of Back Benchers. Singh and corporate trainer Greeshma Thampi, share some key dos and don’ts, while writing on public platforms. 

DO Be clear and relatable

“Succinct and clear communication, especially when you are relaying something important or contentious, is always preferable. Try not to ramble. However, a conversational approach can make your content more relatable and more easily accepted by your followers. At the same time, make it a habit to not share too much of your personal views or opinions on your feed – your followers are your community, and they look to you for content that is inspirational, aspirational, and enriching. Try to give them more of that,” Singh says. Thampi offers a baseline for the ideal length of your written text: “Most people read emails or social media posts on their smartphones. Ideally, the content should fit into a single screen.”