In case you missed it, a few days ago the Tinder social media team lost it's mind. Tinder, the Facebook based mobile dating app, already doesn't have the classiest of reputations. Urban Dictionary calls it the "McDonalds for sex", since Tinder allows you judge potential mates with just a few pictures before swiping right if you like them, and left if you don't. If two users swipe right on each other, they are both notified and a connection may ensue.

While the app is indisputably popular (there are more than a billion swipes, daily), there is some debate over whether this digital meat market is beneficial to the younger generations looking for life partners. That debate lead Vanity Fair editor, Nancy Jo Sales, to publish this piece titled "Tinder and the Dawn of the 'Dating Apocalypse.'"

That's when Tinder took to Twitter like an ill-treated ex-girlfriend hopped up on two-buck Chuck and righteous indignation. Their 31 disdainful messages, all posted on August 11, 2015, failed to make me look at Nancy Jo's writing more critically. No, instead it left me thinking that Tinder needs to embrace their public perception, and maybe let go of that chip on their shoulder before users start leaving them for Hinge.

This little rant also made me think about good and bad twitter practices, and what exactly Tinder (or anyone on Twitter) should do or think about before writing 140 characters of bitter and childish criticisms.

Think Before You Tweet; 3 practices to rely on

Don't Bicker: Twitter-feuds are like car accidents. Everybody wants to get a good look of just how bad it is. Engaging in a twitter feud will never reflect well on you. If you (or your brand) has a serious disagreement with something that cannot be ignored, take the time to craft an intelligent and reasonable response. A twitter disagreement can serve the same purpose as a devastating mic-drop. A twitter feud just makes everyone involved look like children. If Tinder had chosen to post one tweet about the statistical success of their users in response to the Vanity Fair piece, that would have look much better than the 31 whiny messages they did send.
1. Example of a Successful Tweet: "Dating Apocalypse'?! More like the future of successful relationships. Visit the testimonials on our site to learn more about Tinder couples"
2. Actual Tinder Tweet: "@VanityFair & @nancyjosales - "we have lots of data. We surveyed 265,000 of our users. But it doesn't seem like you're interested in facts."
Take a break before you hit send: In a world in which responsive marketing can separate the men from the boys, so to speak, it is important to be on top of your game. Just look at what Oreo did during the 2013 Superbowl. The thing about Oreo is, that was a successful response. You can bet your ass that minutes before posting that off-the-cuff, topical tweet about the Superbowl blackout, that they took a moment, re-read their post, made sure that it couldn't be taken out of context, and made sure that the message was what they really wanted to say. Had the frantic social media manager at Tinder stopped for a moment, maybe refreshed her coffee and considered the tone of the message she was about to send, this particular rant wouldn't have spiraled out of control. Emotional reactions happen, but they don't belong on corporate channels.
1. Example of a Successful Tweet: "We think the Tinder Generation is amazing! Pakistanis use it to find love where homosexuality is illegal-that couldn't have happened before!"
2. Actual Tinder Tweet: "The Tinder Generation is real. Our users are creating it. But it's not at all what you portray it to be."
Understand that Twitter is a public forum: and that means people will say what they want about you. While Twitter is an integral part of any successful marketing plan, it is essentially a microblog of public opinion, some of which may not reflect well on you. You may not be able to control what people say, but you can control the way you respond to it. Jimmy Kimmel has found a great way to respond to the twitter-haters with his series "Celebrities read mean tweets." By reading (and laughing at) the horrible things people say about them on Twitter, these celebs are taking back control. They're essentially taking down schoolyard bullies, not fueling the fire by posting 31 reasons why the bullies are wrong.
1. Example of a Successful Tweet: "We think 'Tinder: Everyone is using it, why aren't you?' would have been a better title!"
2. Actual Tinder Tweet: "Next time reach out to us first @nancyjosales...that's what journalists typically do."

In summation, reserve your emotions, your bitterness and your low blows for cocktail hour with your friends. Do NOT take after Tinder and pitch a hissy fit on a public channel. Remember people, respond, don't react.

I think that's good advise for all of us.