Corporate, Professional Success with Social Media Requires Careful Handling

Four years ago, blogs were the online innovation expected to revolutionize the business world.  “Social media” was not even a concept, and Facebook existed only in the confines of academia.

Fast-forward to today.  Blogs are merely supporting players in a social media world characterized by the instant sound bytes of Twitter, social networks like MySpace and Facebook, and professional networks like LinkedIn, Ryze and Plaxo.  From podcasting to aggregators like Digg, RSS and even video powerhouse YouTube, few would argue that social media has succeeded in changing the face of business – and personal – communications.

The numbers tell the story:

• The number of Internet users surpassed the 1 billion mark in 2008, including 163 million in the U.S. alone.
• Industry watchers say the conservative estimate of active blogs (those that have been updated within a two-month time frame) is 13 million, with more than 40,000 new ones added daily.
• The market for podcasts in the U.S. was 18.5 million in 2007 and was expected to reach 28 million in 2008.
• LinkedIn reports that, at the end of 2008, approximately 1 million people were visiting the network every two weeks, compared with 1 million per month earlier in the year.  The site itself has 33 million members, up from 8 million in 2006.
• Online research firm comScoreInc reported that Facebook had almost 222 million unique visitors in December 2008 and MySpace had 125 million.
• Twitter, which appeared on the scene in 2006, has an estimated 4-5 million registered users who “tweet” an average of 36 times each month.

The uncensored, instantaneous nature of communication across social media is a double-edged sword.

On the upside, a positive review on a blog or a happy customer “tweeting” their pleasure over great service can have an instant impact on a company’s brand recognition and sales.  One “connection” request across LinkedIn can fill a sales pipeline with prospects, and open the door to previously hidden job opportunities.

Conversely, an inadvertent slip of the tongue by a corporate executive can be heard by millions of people worldwide in just seconds.  A consumer complaint is no longer a private affair between company and customer, and pictures of a wild weekend party posted to a social network site can end careers and relationships.

For all the potential negatives, however, a properly managed social media strategy has the power to grow businesses and advance careers.  That is why companies ranging from GM and Jeep, to Wells Fargo and H&R Block to Microsoft, Dell and IBM have embraced social media, integrating it into their corporate communications, sales and marketing strategies. 

And it’s not just the major corporations that are tapping into the power of social media.

For Elevation Brand, Inc., a full-service, integrated marketing communications agency based in Tampa, Fla., social media including blogging, Facebook and Twitter is central to its own brand strategy.  In fact, the company recently published a blog series on getting started with social media and online reputation management (http://elevationbrand.com/blog).

“We view our social media strategy as about engaging an audience, not broadcasting,” said Elevation Brand President Daniel Davie.  “We use it mainly to drive traffic to our site, and as a platform for conveying thought leadership and engaging in valuable conversations with our marketplace.”

Though the agency has only been utilizing social media heavily for about a year, it has already seen measurable results, the biggest being a significant jump in site traffic.  In fact, Davie notes that the blog now gets more hits than the agency’s home page.

However, even for a marketing communications firm, effectively using social media is not without its challenges. 

“The biggest challenge to using it effectively is understanding how creating content for social media is so different from traditional marketing communications or public relations-oriented content,” said Davie.  “It’s important within the social media realm to identify your voice and remain true to it.  The authenticity of your personal or corporate voice will gain you more credibility than playing to the masses.”

That is why Davie recommends any company considering integrating social media into its corporate communication strategy seek out the help of experts.

“There are many nuances in social media, and without a lot of knowledge you can make some big missteps.  The Internet is unforgiving,” he said.

On the individual level, proper use of social media tools can help professionals build the kind of networks that can advance their careers and function more efficiently in an always-on world.

Henry Gabriel, a senior auditor with Kellogg’s internal audit department, has been using LinkedIn professionally for about a month.  Already, he’s seen the benefits that come from the ease with which he can stay connected with his current professional contacts and reconnect with past ones.

“I’m just getting my feet wet and setting up an online presence.  I can see, though, how LinkedIn can be vital…as it connects me with people I’ve worked with in the past or know through other means,” he said.

Gabriel differentiates between the social media he uses for professional purposes and his use of Facebook for personal social networking.  LinkedIn, he says, is much better for professional networking than Facebook – although he is networked on the latter with some professional contacts.

The most important thing to keep in mind when using social media, whether for professional or personal reasons, is the speed with which any information can flow from the original post to anywhere in the world. 

“Just be careful of what you post, and remember who is reading it,” says Gabriel.

Are you or your company using social media? Take a few minutes to complete the Social Networking and Web 2.0 Survey – all answers are confidential and we’ll share the results in our next issue.

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