For every respectable brand, transparency has become a valuable currency in building trust.
But when it crosses the line from strategy to instinctiveness or exhibitionism, it transforms into a very dangerous element capable of causing often irreparable damage to reputation.
We are talking about the phenomenon known as over-sharing. That is, the phenomenon (sometimes unconscious) that leads to sharing an excess of personal, emotional, or professional information that does not add value to the brand's narrative but, on the contrary, can generate confusion, loss of authority, or reputational crises.
When talking about branding strategy (both at a personal and corporate level), there is often a lot of confusion surrounding the concept of authenticity.
Authenticity yes, egocentrism no
Being authentic means communicating consistently with one's values, tone, and mission. It has very little to do with publishing intimate or controversial content, with compulsive comments on the most disparate topics, or with sharing elements inclined to self-aggrandizement.
Consumers reward brands that demonstrate strong consistency between what they say and what they do (Gilmore & Pine, 2007 Authenticity: What Consumers Really Want).
Yielding to the allure of over-sharing tends to merge the sphere of strategic communication with the personal one. While some see this as enhancing authenticity, in reality, it only complicates the brand's perception, negatively affecting its actual positioning.
The consequences of self-love
There are several negative consequences for those who engage in over-sharing. Without a doubt, the main problem lies in a decrease in the perception of reliability. Sharing sensitive thoughts, polarizing opinions, or personal details opens the door to misunderstandings, exploitation, and attacks.
Maintaining distance
This practice then leads to a significant erosion of one's authority. Contrary to what many claim, a brand always needs to maintain a certain strategic distance from its audience.
Being perceived on the same level as one's interlocutor, always telling everything and commenting on anything, can make the brand seem weak or unstable. Unprofessional, in short.
Furthermore, too much information, stories, posts, and comments will lead to an increase in "background noise" that will render even truly important content ineffective. In this context, interesting content will get lost among a thousand useless pieces of information, nullifying its value contribution.
Over-sharing has a "long tail" that should not be underestimated.
What is published online does not disappear. Even removed content may have been saved, "screenshotted," and republished.
Unlike a flyer, a billboard, or a television commercial, digital content has an unlimited lifecycle and can be accessible almost forever.
But how can the phenomenon of over-sharing be avoided without losing authenticity?
Before publishing any content, it is important to remember that it is the brand speaking. Asking whether what is about to be said strengthens the positioning is certainly a good starting point to avoid dangerous deviations.
One must never lose sight of the focus, eliminating as much as possible contributions that "get personal." Not everything needs to be planned, but nothing should be improvised.
The value of silence
Remaining silent, even for long periods, can prove to be an equally winning strategy. Because even the "unsaid" can help cement reputation.
Choices must be made, favoring only content that interests one's audience.
Knowing how to communicate with measure while remaining faithful to one's narrative mission is today a fundamental skill for anyone who wants to stand out in the sea of continuous information, strengthening their brand's credibility.
Marco Tomasone
eXtrapola editorial team