Pros and Cons of  Private Social Media Accounts

In recent years, social media has become something almost everyone takes part in. There are so many practical activities, such as reconnecting with old friends, publishing self-made content, or even landing a job. When having an online presence, it is crucial to be cautious and possess a full understanding of the platform you’re using. Sometimes, it can be challenging to decide who should be viewing this online aspect of your life. Here’s a breakdown of some common pros and cons of having private social media accounts.

This is definitely a big reason why many social media users choose to privatize their accounts. It’s a relief knowing exactly where your content is going and who can see it. The risk of someone with bad intentions viewing your profile is eliminated, and you can enjoy posting in a safe environment.

Though with a private account you’ll know exactly who can view your posts, it is much more difficult for them to become widespread. If you want something to go viral, having a private account is not the way to do it. Unfortunately, only people you manually allow to follow you will be able to see your content when you post. This also excludes your posts from being found by accounts that don’t follow you under hashtags.

Social media was designed to be enjoyable and fun. When you have a private account, you don’t have to worry about what other people will think of what you post. Usually, when on private, the majority of your followers are family and friends. These are the people who love and accept you the most, so the fear of being judged for what you post is significantly less. This is a perfect way to avoid those unnecessary hate comments.

On certain platforms such as Instagram, you are unable to see your accounts’ total engagement if you’re private. This includes being unable to see how many users viewed your profile in the last 30 days, how many people actually engaged with your “swipe up” link, and comparing the reach of your most recent post with others in the past. Monitoring your engagement is vital to growing a following. It provides you with invaluable knowledge of what is and isn’t working, so you’re able to adjust your activity for the best results.

Some big accounts choose to be private. Though they have the daily burden of accepting an abundance of followers, other accounts are unable to view their content without first following them. Often, users will view an account’s content, but not follow. Using this method avoids the issue of potential followers scrolling through a few posts and ultimately going back to their home page. If you catch peoples’ eyes and grab their interest, they’ll want to follow you to see what all the hype is about. This method should

only be used when you already have a big following, and your profile visits to follow ratio can be improved.

Even if you have a private account, what you do on other pages is not. Your comments, likes, and (on some platforms) what you view is public. If you’re looking for complete anonymity, a private account is not the way to go. Users who privatize their accounts only have the luxury of controlling who sees their content and where it goes. If you possess a private account and comment on a friends’ photo who is also private, the comment is still public to your friends’ followers. Also, on some social media platforms like LinkedIn, people can see who viewed their profile. If you have the desire of a private social media presence, be very careful to understand the extent of some limitations you may still have.

Do you have any other pros or cons to possessing a private social account? Tweet us and share! For more helpful content, check out our blog.