Social Networking in the Corporate World

In the ever-growing social media landscape, social networking in the corporate world is becoming more important in all aspects business. The options for using networking to your company’s advantage are endless. Here are a few key insights to common challenges faced by businesses venturing into social networking.

Social Networking in the Corporate World: Brand Awareness

A 2009 Cone study reports that 95% of social media users expect brands to be present on social sites. Two key questions marketers should ask themselves when implementing a social media brand awareness campaign are: 1) Is your message reaching your intended audience; and 2) Is that message effective? Through social media, you can target your audience, and in some cases, let your audience target you. Your image - your corporate brand – is defined by how you create it. The trick with social media is: you are what you create, but is what you create always what you are?


Social Networking in the Corporate World: Consumer Interaction

Consumers are all about instant gratification and having a presence on social networking sites helps your business keep up the pace. 78% of survey respondents expect brands to interact with them via social media channels. It is crucial to be accessible and responsive to your network. Encourage interaction from all ends, but monitor this interaction as well. Every thread of your social network links back to your business and affects your image.


Social Networking in the Corporate World: Employee Usage

Keep in mind that many of your employees probably visit social media sites on a daily basis and are familiar with the functionality. Use these sites as a knowledge base and training center for them to share what they know and continue learning from peers and management. Don’t limit what your employees can do in the social network. Boost morale, loyalty, confidence and retention by supporting internal networking.


If your business isn’t taking social networking in the corporate world seriously – now’s the time.

DBE Releases Results of Social Media Study

Digital Brand Expressions released its new research report on how companies are adopting the use of social media throughout their organizations. This study, conducted by DBE, looked at if companies are using social media, how they are approaching its incorporation into business communications, if they have a strategic social media plan in place, and which business units are involved in the planning, measurement, and use of social media.

Some interesting highlights from the report include:

• While 78% of respondents indicated that their business is actively using social media, only 41% reported that these activities are covered under a company plan.



• Of companies with a social media plan in place, 94% include marketing activities within the plan, but only 16% include Human Resources or recruiting activities



• Of those companies that don’t have a strategic plan but think it is important to create one, the number one activity rated as important to include in a social media plan is allocating resources for ongoing activities

Download DBE’s Corporate Social Media Study:

http://www.digitalbrandexpressions.com/services/corporate-social-media-report.asp

More information on DBE’s Enterprise Social Media Program can be found here:

http://www.digitalbrandexpressions.com/services/enterprise-social-media.asp

Confessions of a Closet foursquare User

I’ll admit it; I’ve turned into a foursquare addict. I’ve been keeping it hidden. My account isn’t connected to Facebook or Twitter. First, there are the obvious privacy issues and risks coinciding with a program designed to tell people where you are, and where you aren’t, at all times. On top of that, I’ve seen the derogatory comments in response to Twitter posts like “Jimbo just became mayor of the Parking Garage.” Even I find those updates annoying and agree with the “Who cares?” sentiment. But when I blurted out “Suck it, Pierre!” in the middle of a crowded deli line after ousting him as mayor, I realized I was hooked.*

Now it’s affecting my plans and decision making. I have to go back to certain places often enough to keep mayorships there, but I need to go to new places too. I went to a different ATM this morning because no one had set up that location yet. I have to go to the diner because someone ousted me as mayor, and I have to take it back. When I go see Toy Story 3 this weekend, I have to go to a specific movie theater, because with 1 more visit, I think I’ll become the mayor. That will be my ninth mayorship, and I’ll only need one more after that to get my Super Mayor badge. Competition and little trinkets make me happy. Don’t judge me.

As I’ve mentioned in previous blogs, discounts and freebies make me happy too. That’s where foursquare comes into play for marketing purposes. It’s not terribly useful for general advertising. You have to be very close for a place to show up in your list of options. There is a “Special Offer Nearby” feature. Starbucks seems to have a stranglehold on this, offering a free coffee to the mayor of a location. In a business that thrives on repeat visits, that’s the way foursquare marketing can work. Give rewards to the people who come back most often, to generate recurring business. It’s effective, but it’s not for everyone. And that’s okay because I’ve got my eye on a free coffee.

*Names have been changed to protect my foursquare nemesis.