What Social Media Is and What It Is Not

Social Media is not a tactic and therefore it cannot be assigned to a specific department such as public relations, it is a tool that allows one to talk to and hear from its consumers. Social Media is so many things- it’s one-part public relations, one part SEO, one part usability design, one part customer service, and one-part sociology. Because of its dynamic make-up it doesn’t make since that people of public relations would be qualified to tackle all of the aspects of social media.

Social Media is beyond that of “typical” advertising and public relations it’s far past advertisements, news releases, and media pitches. For social media to be used successfully it needs to be in an agency of its own. Ignite is a social media agency that pulls specialists from all different aspects from marketing to PR to advertising to tech specialists to work as a team in running social media for a variety of different companies. To find out more about what Ignite does and how they do it visit their website at http://www.ignitesocialmedia.com/.

Another reason that social media cannot be treated as advertising and public relations is because of their very different roles in media. Traditional media pushes, whereas social media pulls. For instance sending advertisements, media pitches, and news releases to media outlets is designed to push someone to action. On the contrary, social media leads one to content that is interesting allowing them to pull themselves in if they choose so. Some would argue that pull media is way more efficient than the typically push media, but I’ll leave that up to you to decide.

Lastly, social media is not a waste of time. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, blogs etc. are all different forms of social media and if these outlets are used properly they can be very effective for a brand of a company. Many people spend time sending e-mails, surfing the web, and using social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter, so communicating through social media has created an effective way for reaching key consumers.

Putting Social Media to Practice

For those of us who haven’t been living under a rock for the past 5 years, it is quite evident that social media has become colossal. There is a debate of whether or not social media belongs in Public relations and other facets of a company’s communication plan, but regardless social media is here to stay.

Journalism schools know social media is becoming a vital asset their students need to acquire. On top of students using social media as a communication tool, many public relations courses are integrating Twitter and blogging into course curriculums. All this preparation is great, but what good does it do if you don’t put it to use? Yeah there are the internships, but there’s another way you can use your social media skills to gain valuable experience and probably earn some cash in the process. 

You do not even really have to be an expert in social media to capitalize on this opportunity, just a little ambition and entrepreneurial spirit. Social media guru Chris Brogan reported that the job growth for social media is greatest in small businesses http://www.chrisbrogan.com/social-media-jobs-outlook/. Every community has an array of small businesses, many of these owners would love to build a social media presence for the business they just don’t have the time. That’s where you come in, as a consultant. 

To start out, offer your services for free to a relative or family friend’s small business just to gain experience and build a small portfolio. Once you’ve gotten your feet wet search your community, my suggestion is to start with restaurants, their most applicable. Make a name for your company even if you’re the only employee, it will make sound a little more professional. Then you can begin to sell your services, offer to build the business a campaign on Four Square or a presence on Facebook. 

Once you have established yourself the possibilities are endless. The hardest part is going to be starting out, but once you’ve taken off it will only be a matter of time before small businesses are seeking you out.

Here are a few tips on starting your social media venture

1. Preach results- Many small business owners know what social media is, but do not know the advantages of establishing a presence in social media.
2. Only Charge a small fee, then set up a pay scale where you get paid more for achievements related to you work. Ex: Bonus for 100 fans on Facebook.
3. Try and stick to service oriented businesses, easier to track and prove results.

Christopher Herkenhoff
University of Minnesota
Jour 3279
Blog Assignment 
 

The risks of Facebook are often overlooked.

Facebook has undoubtedly changed how various corporations, organizations, and even government affiliations communicate with the general public. With over 400 million active users, it has become an ideal resource for conglomerates, non-profits, and the government who utilize the social media site daily to gain interest in whatever their cause may be. Many overlook the unfavorable risks of Facebook usage, but there are some organizations that are stepping down from their pages due to Facebook’s permissive and relaxed nature as well as ambiguous legalities that arise is unfavorable situations.

Censorship may be the biggest downfall and professional risk of Facebook. Not only is it risky to put forth trust in the person who is updating a Facebook page on behalf of an organization as a whole, it is extremely difficult to micromanage the information being posted because social media is updated frequently. This poses a potential threat to proper damage control if something is said by “the corporation” and not well received by the general public or Facebook population. On the other hand, companies take the risk of letting “friends” or “fans” post negative feedback. For example, food corporation Nestlé USA took a hit on their fan page when fans posted critical comments that included Nestlé’s own logo regarding their non-eco friendly use of palm oil in their products. In this situation, the corporation risked its positive image because it was unable to control what people where saying about them.

Legal aspects of Facebook usage are another important issue that many do not consider.  Since social media is a relatively new resource, especially in the corporate sphere, there are not many laws that govern its usage. Since posts, comments, and statuses are uncensored there is a greater chance that something will be said that offends a corporation who has the ability to sue for things such as copy write infringement, defamation, or false advertising/ accusations. There also arises the issue of how to document these accusations or even keep a record of Facebook. For example some metro cities are hesitant of Facebook usage for these exact reasons. An article in the Startribune explains why the cities of St. Louis Park and Blaine are taking extra precautions in the management of their Facebook pages.

Lastly, some believe that personal and corporate use of Facebook is not a good mix.  Before social networking sites became popular, there was strong emphasis on separating one’s personal life from work. Now with the corporate use of Facebook rising, CEOs of corporations are being critically watched on their personal pages. PRWeek published an article about how senior national journalist Neil Midgley believes there is a fine line between posting information about your personal life and posting information about your work on your personal Facebook page.

By taking these three risks of Facebook in consideration, corporations, organizations, and government affiliations that maintain Facebook pages can strive for a safer way to represent themselves in the free world of Facebook.

Marissa Zakheim
University of Minnesota
Jour 3279
Blog Assignment