posted by: britney

Chances are your company is already using social media, and if you aren’t yet, you are probably considering the option. Using social media to communicate has become the norm in the business world. Companies of all types and all sizes are using social media to try and communicate and interact with their audiences. This is the basic principal of social media, however, many organizations are utilizing social media without a proper understanding and awareness of what needs to be done in order to have an effective social media campaign.

As mentioned in the article below, social media needs to be about a lot more than simply putting information out there in yet another one way communication channel that doesn’t interact with the audience. Social media can be so successful because it allows you to actually interact with a mass audience. Putting information out there is the first step, yes, but communicating and listening is a major component to success. The article below breaks down the success of social media into six key steps.

(Article Source: ProPR By Joseph Thornley)

Six keys to success in social media

One of my colleagues, Pierre Killeen, developed a list of six strategic considerations that corporate communications should bear in mind when planning their approach to using social media. I was struck by how simple, yet true, these six considerations are. So, I’d like to share them with you.
Six keys to success in social media

1. Success in social media is about human resources. The major input into social media is people’s time. As social media success begins to take hold, the resource requirements will start to grow. Where additional resources are not an option, organizations will have to reallocate existing resources in order to meet ongoing social media needs.

2. Social media platforms facilitate connections and conversations between individuals, not between individuals and institutions. Despite the filter of a social media tool or application, the conversation still takes place between two individuals. This distinction is integral to understanding the social media landscape.

3. People use social media to remain current with news and information filtered from people they know and trust. Connecting with social media influencers engaged in your issues is a key way to earn and build trust and spread your message.

4. Social media communications are about communities, not about target groups and audiences. Whereas traditional communication strategies seek to push messages to audiences, social media strategies are about connecting with and building communities of interest and practice.

5. Social media is about engagement. Some organizations think of social media primarily as another channel for pushing out content. This is inconsistent with the nature of social media and will, ultimately, act as a barrier to social media success.

6. Social media is measurable. Social media communications are rich in data and metrics. If you don’t measure everything you are doing, you are missing the opportunity to understand what is going on and what you are participating in.
 

• December 21st, 2010
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• Tags: business, communication, Online Success, social media