As social media behaviours become ever more intrinsic to the way that we interact online, it is easy to forget the basics and become complacent in the way that people and brands operate online.
Transparency is one of those 'oh yeh, I know all about that' areas that it is easy to forget about and to inadvertently forget when planning and executing campaigns.
Transparency is the key to developing trust and credibility within a community, either as an individual or on behalf of a brand, and any overlooking of that behaviour be it purposeful, or through accidental neglect, will be harmful for a brand.
We have seen many cases of brands and people falling foul of behaving ill-advisedly and there are some who will use these opportunities to attack or mock those who are the unfortunate protagonist.
This does nothing to help the digital industry grow and evolve into the hub of all marketing activities.
The Internet , and those who have used it as a virgin channel of communication, cultivated a culture of authenticity that had not otherwise been seen.
Now that brands, marketers and people are used to this way of behaving online, transparency becomes a second thought.
We must, to uphold our integrity as digital communicators, ensure that transparency is at the forefront of our minds when planning and executing digital activities.
We should always practice full disclosure when working on behalf of clients, or sharing content by our clients.
To not do so is to undermine the credibility of the digital practices, clients and communities we work for.