Companies understand that marketing online grants them the opportunity to reach a broad audience instantly. Incorporating the appropriate mix of marketing and relationship building through social media channels into the organization’s communications plan is essential.

The first step in establishing the social media strategy of a company is to determine whether or not it is advantageous for the organization to build its social media presence. There are many factors the organization must consider such as types, benefits, risks, and the associated training related to engaging in social media. The organization must assess the various forms of social media before deciding the strategy to best enable the organization in sharing its message. Even if an organization opts not to actively pursue a social media presence, the organization should still track the use of its brands on-line. Unauthorized misrepresentation of a brand could damage even the most pristine reputation. United’s stock dipped 10% when a musician uploaded a video on-line about his broken guitar after United neglected to respond to his refund claim. Investing in brand monitoring software assists companies in monitoring on-line discussions about the use of their brand so they have the ability to rebut as necessary.

Social networking websites such as Facebook and LinkedIn help people connect and build relationships. Audio websites such as iTunes or Rhapsody allow consumers to download songs or buy full length CDs on-line. Organizations now use video websites such as Vimeo and YouTube to advertise and promote their message. Rather than wait for a customer to see a commercial on TV, organizations create buzz around their videos luring consumers to search out their promotional content (e.g. YouTube, Hulu, Google Video, etc.). Old Spice connected to a whole new generation of customers after it successfully launched its ‘The Man your Man could smell like’ campaign attracting 19 million views on-line. Microblogging, another form of on-line expression through sites like Twitter messages reach hundreds or thousands of people in an instant[1]. The importance of information mobility has given rise to the boom in laptops, tablets, and smart phones. Use of mobile devices includes synchronized video conferencing for business as well as downloading entertainment and news applications. HBO Go allows users to watch HBO shows anywhere, IHeartRadio increases the audience of local radio stations, and CNN’s application for Blackberry, iPhone, and Android keeps people informed of breaking news. Establishing a presence on-line in one space over another may depend on the characteristics of an organization’s industry, the image the organization is interested in portraying and its customer base.

When an organization understands what media channels are available it needs to determine if the costs outweigh the benefits of investing in social media. There are many benefits in today’s world to taking advantage of on-line marketing. There is an entire generation that receives almost all of their information, including news and advertising, through on-line channels. Television recording makes it possible for people to fast forward through commercials. Newspapers and the United States Post Office are struggling to stay relevant in a world where anyone can read breaking news or obtain email documents in seconds.

Actively engaging in social media has its risks. Risks include unknowledgeable workforces that do not understand the implications of their on-line communication or organizations accidently releasing confidential corporate information.

Organizations willing to accept the risks associated with on-line communication must align their internal and external communication strategies. Many organizations have tried to boost productivity by limiting the types of external sites to which employees have access. Access restrictions create a dilemma for a company that has decided to add social media to its marketing strategy. The organization is sending the message externally that it embraces social media but communicating the opposite internally to its employees. Lifting access restrictions allows employees to align themselves with the social media strategy of the firm and explore the ways the organization promotes the brand. Before a company grants employees access to social media, it must take the appropriate steps to train its employees on best practices and acceptable use policies. The organization must create comprehensive social media standards and policies that align with the organization’s overall governance framework and communications strategy.

As with other forms of communication, organizations need to gauge how much information they are willing to share with the public. Companies also need to decide how much information they want to collect about their customers through the use of social media. Companies have the ability to collect mass quantities of information about every customer but the information may be irrelevant, a waste of resources, or viewed as an invasion of privacy by customers.

Organizations should not feel pressure to engage in all forms of social media. Through analysis and preparation, companies can tailor successful social media strategies to ultimately support the organization’s operational objectives.

Citations
[1] Brake, D., & Safko Lon (2009) The Social Media Bible: Tactics, Tools & Strategies for Business Success.