Well, that’s how it should be in traditional media too, but we know better than that already!

On social media though, inauthentic language gets caught out faster than ever and you stand exposed to the ire of your fans. In fact, any attempt to pretentious gets amplified by social media users and quickly becomes a social media crisis as so many brands have learnt in the past. Keep it authentic and don’t be shy to show your real self.

Michael Phelps, one of the greatest athletes of our times, has a great Facebook Page that’s a benchmark for a lot of personal brands. He keeps it simple, uses the Page to be truly accessible to his fans and more importantly, speaks in an authentic tone that connects to the fans directly. Phelps even writes long Notes on his Page to share his thoughts with the fans, making the whole interaction fulfilling for fans.

This is the kind of interaction that endears a Page to its fans and makes them keep coming back for more.