Is Your Company Social?

My graduate class, Social Media in Public Relations, is reading Social Corp: Social Media Goes Corporate by Joel Postman.  I hope to get at least two things out of both the book and the class:

1. A stronger understanding of the best (and worst) ways organizations can use social media effectively.
2. Ideas for implementing social media and other online tools in my employer's online forum and blogging site.

Here are some of the things I took away from the first few chapters - mixed in with my own thoughts and a case study from another blogger.

Social Behaviors Move Online

Most people are social by nature.  Places we visit including the grocery store, gas station, library, and mall are set up to include interaction with other people.  Technology takes some of the interaction out of these tasks.  For example, we can pay for our gas at the pump with a credit card to avoid standing in line to pay the cashier.

Similarly, many pieces of our lives are moving online and losing the personal, real-time interaction.  Instead of making a phone call to talk to a friend we send an email.  Instead of an email we post a shorter "hello" on a Facebook wall.  Many corporations are doing their best to keep up with the times.

Corporations and Social Media

Initially, companies developed websites to represent themselves online.  Then they made their sites "interactive" to allow two-way communication with their customers - this might have come in the way of a feedback form or even an online discussion forum.

Today, corporations are going where the people are by entering the world of social media.  This might start with a Facebook page for users to "like" or include an entire suite of sites such as Twitter, Flickr, YouTube, and more.  Postman (22) says some companies have groups dedicated to a social media strategy; it might be part of the overall Marketing and/or Public Relations strategy of the organization.  Others just "wing it" and use the trial and error method.

"Outside the Box"

Thinking outside the box is cliche, but in social media, it helps.  Many organizations are reluctant to open themselves up to the unknown world of social media and the loss of control over messaging.  At the same time, a little reluctance isn't a bad thing.


For example, students are lectured not to post alcohol-related photos on Facebook.   It might not be so wise for an airline to post photos of its pilots knocking a few back at the holiday party.  It just doesn't instill confidence.

Dan Nedelko's blog had a great post about a Pepsi promotion conducted via social media in Canada.  Basically, Pepsi didn't think about the market and whether Canadians needed a new cheer for hockey - essentially a national past time.  The promotion generated some fans; however, an anti-cheer group was formed - with half as many members as the entire Pepsi fan page!


Resources:

Hamm, Matt. Jump on the social media bandwagon. 2008. Flickr. Web. 19 May 2010.  http://www.flickr.com/photos/matthamm/2945559128/  (image)

Nedelko, Dan. "Pepsi Cheer - Social Media Done Wrong." Dan Nedelko: Internet Marketer. N.p., 9 Jan. 2010. Web. 19 May 2010.  http://dannedelko.com/social-networking/pepsi-cheer-social-media-done-wrong.html

Postman, Joel. SocialCorp: Social Media Goes Corporate. Berkeley, CA: New Riders, 2009. 1-75. Print.