A Pageant Girl's Guide to Social Media Share on Social Media

We're constantly surrounded with the latest news on our friends and family. We get so much information from social media these days.  What you post on your Facebook or Twitter can definitely affect your future career and opportunities.

But what does it do to your current title? Or perhaps the one you've been vying for? Well I'm here to lay down some ground rules for when Pageant Planet and the Social Media World meet.

Miss America 2018 Cara Mund with Meredith Boyd. Photo: Matt Boyd Photography

Does your system have a social media policy?

If you signed a contract when you won, or when you competed, did it have a social media clause?  A social media clause could include anything from promoting the system on your current page or creating a new page for the public.  Be sure to read your contract carefully and if you have questions, ask. If you don't have a contract (which is unlikely) or it doesn't contain anything about social media, ask your director.  Talk to them about what is okay and is not okay to post on social media. Because you are representing their organization for the next year, it's essential that you uphold the image of the system.

Until you ask, here are some basic rules to follow:

General Rules to Follow:

1. If you wouldn't show it to Grandma, your boss or a judge, don't post it. I know you looked totally cute that one night you went to the club but unless it's also a totally appropriate look (I mean "you wouldn't mind being seen by your grandma in it" appropriate), probably best to leave it on your phone and off Instagram.

2. If it has a red solo cup or any alcoholic beverages, it's a no-go. This is a definite for our under 21 queens! (A word of advice: there should NEVER be pictures of you underage drinking.)  For our of age queens, although it's legal, it may give the wrong image of you.  If you have questions, ask the director.

3. If there's excessive PDA, probably not a great idea either. Now ladies, I know you may think that the picture of you and your boyfriend kissing is adorable. I get it, I have a special someone too. But think about the little girls who may be looking up to you or the judges that may be looking at your Facebook before giving you the title. It's okay to have your relationship on social media but keep it classy please.

4. Set your profile so you approve what goes on it. There's this cool setting on Facebook that let's you approve what goes on your profile. It will send you a notification when something has been posted to your wall or you've been tagged in a post. You can either approve or deny that post going to your Facebook wall.

5. Update your security settings. Please, make your site's private. Not only for the pageant world but, for your personal safety. There are some scary people out there and they definitely don't need to know all of your personal information. Make your Twitter by request only and your Facebook private. This also let's you control what's seen by the public.

6. Always lean towards the conservative side.  If you're not sure about posting it, don't do it. Send it to your mom or dad and ask their opinion first. It's always best to have a second set of eyes if you're unsure. In this new technology-filled age, we are constantly being evaluated by what we share with the world. As pageant queens, we always need to keep our image and our title in mind when posting things to the internet. Keep these rules in mind and you'll never commit a social media faux-pas!