Exposure, attention and the inevitable backlash associated with social media in a digital age is now a never-ending public obsession.

Social sharing of every kind, be it through YouTube channels, online gaming or Instagram marketing, has contributed to the rise (and fall) of many online heroes and villains, and it will likely continue to do so for as long as the world is digitally connected. The double-edged sword of social media sharing and the inherent opportunities and pitfalls plague an era where both young and old are always online, and the general public can either love or hate you depending on which side of the sword you’re swinging.

Whether you’re a business building an audience, an individual touting a brand or a bystander commenting from your personal soapbox, understanding how your online input is digested can make or break you, literally.

The Digital Soapbox

I had a friend recently post to Facebook regarding the prominence of knowing more about what’s going on in the world. She casually remarked that it’s not the fact that natural disasters, political corruption or plane crashes are happening more often, but rather we’re simply seeing it all second-hand through a digital screen as it happens. The digital soapbox is tall, and those hopping atop it to voice their opinions are many.

We live and learn in an age when individuals are dissecting and understanding the world around them as much through comments and often-exasperating tirades as the stories and videos that fuel them. Hell, if you’ve got something to say about this article, you can jump down to the comments section and let me have it with all the finger-flinging furry you can muster. If you voice your opinion enough, and to the right audience, you might even be able to make a career out of it.

Making Waves around the Web

Personally, I’m torn between loving and leaving behind my online presence, being both disgusted and fascinated by what the Web has become. Here are a few stories currently making waves around the world that are hard to ignore:

• Online personalities are making millions – Last month, Forbes listed the highest grossing YouTube personalities of 2015, and topping the list was Felix Kjellberg. Don’t recognize the name? Online, he dons the moniker “PewDiePie,” and over the past year, thanks in large part to his 40 million followers, he made approximately $12 million. He’s not alone. Online commenting and professional video gaming has grown to be outrageously popular. Video game tournaments are now held in stadiums housing tens of thousands of spectators, colleges are offering degrees tailored to gaming fame, and new “celebrities” continue to emerge as they carve out their own niche piece of the online pie.

• Comcast vs. Google Fiber – Recently, cable giant Comcast tried to use their online presence to belittle a competitor, Google Fiber, and the attempt backfired beyond belief. “In Kansas City, Google Fiber customers missed part of World Series game after Google’s Internet network went down,” Comcast posted to their Facebook page. It didn’t take long for vigilantes to come out of the online woodwork to defend Google Fiber and dish out some belittling of their own. What was most likely an effort to take a jab at competition and build goodwill with the Comcast audience became an online pitchfork and torch mob hanging of Comcast in the comments. If you haven’t heard the story, it’s worth reading about as a lesson in knowing your audience and misunderstanding how that audience sees your company.

• Essena O’Neill quits social media – As inspiring as it could be attention seeking, last week Instagram model Essena O’Neill publicly criticized and denounced her online presence as fake and forced. Essena revealed that her “natural” photos filled with smiling faces and a sought after perfect body were nothing more than marketing posts that made her money. Each picture had been carefully planned and meticulously photographed as an advertisement for this or that piece of clothing or lifestyle product, and the young girl had grown tired and disgusted by who she’d become. Inspirational, right? Unfortunately, as is the nature of online attention, people close to Essena are calling the confession as fake and orchestrated as her original Instagram photos. It’s hard to tell who’s being more genuine when everyone’s in the spotlight.

If anything, being genuine is what the general public wants from an online entity. For many businesses and individuals, being genuine, honest and upfront works in their favor. It’s important to know your audience and how your presence is gobbled up online. The problem is, with everyone shouting from on top of their soapbox, it’s easy to get lost in the fog while trying to navigate the Web.

Andrew is a word wizard/content creator extraordinaire who considers himself a bit of a dabbler. From writing to reading, exercise, outdoor exploration, art, music, photography, and even little existentialism, it’s all color on the creative palette.