It’s been another banner year for social media: Associations gained more confidence with new platforms and revealed their thoughts about how they use them, and the platforms themselves evolved and grew.

And, throughout the year, major brands provided great examples of what to do and, more importantly, what to absolutely avoid on social media.

From the misreported death of the Queen of England to inappropriately suggestive advertising, CIO has compiled its list of the most cringeworthy media campaigns of 2015.

Keeping these failed attempts at humor in mind is key when using your association’s social media voice. When updating your association’s members, Twitter offers a bit more personality than a press release. But as our resident technology expert Ernie Smith noted, authenticity, not humor, is what matters.

And to avoid embarrassment, remember to always double-check your posts.

ESPN’s Gerry Hamilton has learned that lesson. In a tweet about a football recruit, Hamilton included a link to what he thought was a highlight video; instead, he sent audiences to a pornographic website.

One expert describes the mistake perfectly, blaming it on “the real-time nature of social media,” which can be hard to navigate. So, in 2016, make a list of your tweets, and check them twice.

Tweet of the Day

See every Person of the Year cover in 15 seconds https://t.co/4FBVhie37p #TIMEPOYhttps://t.co/byfU6tyGFb

— TIME (@TIME) December 9, 2015

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been named Time magazine’s 2015 Person of the Year, joining a host of prominent artists, leaders, organizations, and more being honored.

Other Good Reads

Twitter is experimenting with time. The company has announced it will start testing a new timeline that would do away with the platform’s iconic reverse chronological order. Many fans are displeased.

Journalism secrets for marketers: Forbes contributor Brian Hughes has shared some reporting techniques that will make your future content marketing campaigns stronger than ever.

Are “white hat” hackers paid enough? Atlantic contributor Donna Lu explores the extent of their use by major organizations and looks into the conflict at the heart of using hackers to prevent hacking.

(MacroZone/ThinkStock)