Why social media isn't always a great idea

Well companies are jumping on board the social media bandwagon with the same ferocity that they decided that the web was the way to go about ten years ago. It is funny but many companies believe they have to use social media. The reason I am hearing most is that if they do not, well then their competition might and gain on them.

Sadly, this is a fear based logic to planning and as a result you are reacting to market potential and less likely to gain by the situation. Smart companies figure out that they can gain from a certain action and act accordingly. Not so smart companies see where the heard is going and follow according because that is what seems the right thing to do.

Having said that, there are boundaries to social media and they should be explored by any company that wishes to profit from what is certainly an area with tremendous potential. One issue about social media I have addressed in the past but it bears repeating because it is so critical. In fact it is so critical I think it should be put up on the wall like school rooms show the U.S. Constitution or the map of the world. Workings within the organization should under no circumstances be allowed to speak about the organization on a social media outlet without the full and complete authorization of the Corporate Communications office. Furthermore, all of what they intend to post should be approved in advance and should then only be posted verbatim, without so much as a comma changed.

Social media should not be seen as a lazy way to do corporate communications. There is still going to be a need for news releases and media tours; analyst briefings and webinars. Marketing will not grind to a halt nor even be pulled back due to social media. If anything marketing efforts should have social media built into them so that social media is an element in the market effort. As with most corporate communications roles, a properly managed social media program can be of tremendous help to an organization in delivering its message to a mass audience.

One way that social media should never be used is for crisis management. Nothing seems more pathetic than when you see some misbehaving celebrity decide to apologize for their latest misdeed by apologizing on their Facebook page or via Twitter. The same holds true for an organization. One that apologizes via a press release alone is an organization that not only didn't care for the customer but doesn't really care for any misdeed which may have gotten them in trouble. The hackneyed news releases we have all become accustomed to seeing become even worse in the clipped off world of Facebook and Twitter and their cohorts.

Social media is a great invention for the reason that it lets the organization talk directly to its audience and stakeholders. However it should not be seen as a way of bypassing traditional outlets or even worse, bypassing outlets that may not be as receptive to the message as we might like. It is more important to allow for an open and honest exchange of ideas and feedback than it is to have a simple and fun discussion. Discussion and honest feedback are far more valuable than light, breezy conversation.

So in conclusion, social media is a great tool and makes a wonderful addition to a well armed media and customer relations platform. It is not however designed to be the sole means of communications or for that matter, even the main focus of your communication program. It is a tightly controlled aspect of your program and one that focuses on bringing in different and direct communications from stakeholders that you may not be able to engage otherwise.