3 social media lessons from a sunburn

This story first appeared on PR Daily in August, 2015. A few weekends ago, I suffered the results of too much fun in the sun: a sunburn. Though my time in Ocean Shores, Washington, was worth the pain, I can’t help but think I could have done something differently. Like a trip to the beach, a social media campaign can start out fun and end in discomfort if you don’t take proper care. Here are three social media lessons I thought about as I soothed my burning skin:

1. Think ahead.

Instead of heading straight to the beach and to the pool, I should have stopped and put on sunscreen. Taking five more minutes to put on Coppertone could have saved me from the pain that would soon follow. Before you jump straight into a new social media campaign, create an editorial calendar. Whether your campaign is only for a few weeks or months, planning out what you want to post will help you stay organized and stop you from missing anything important.

2. Listen To others