Social Media is constantly touted as the 'biggest thing on the net' by marketers everywhere. There are whole conferences to discuss it and many agencies placed to help you get into it. With all this publicity - coupled with the fact that you and almost everyone you know uses Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or blogs - your business may well think they need to get on the Social Media bandwagon quick smart.
But before you jump in,please consider these points, and remember, once it's posted, its usually there for life...
1. Your Industry: While it is fine, perhaps ideal, for you to be the first business in your industry to undertake social media, first eliminate the possibility that this is because social media might not be suitable for your industry. If your business services only a few, very large clients, social media might not be suitable. If your business is concerned with security or privacy, then social media might not be for you. If you work in a politically sensitive environment, again, you might want to think hard about it first.
None of these things mean you shouldn't go into Social Media, but just that you should think long and hard about the realities of what could happen if you do. You should research all the companies in your field who are doing social media now, and find out what you should emulate, and what you should avoid. Look across the internet at the Social Media disasters and try and put in place measures to avoid this.
2. Define what you want out of social media, and how you envisage getting it. Don't just say feedback, communication or brand awareness, think about
how social media would meet those goals. For example, how is Facebook going to engage you with your customers? Could it be by letting users comment on upcoming products, research, photo's from corporate events or memos? Could you do surveys and offer prizes? Do you want to offer internships or discounts?
If you want to go on Twitter - what do you have to say for yourself? Who do you want following you? What value can you give them? Could you still be bothered tweeting this time next year?
3.Worst case scenario. Imagine you were Southwest Airlines or Nestle, whose PR nightmares came true in the public arena of Facebook and Twitter. To avoid such a storm, you need to ensure that your staff are trained by social media and PR experts. The youngest guy in your team might use Twitter all day, every day, but that doesn't mean he is qualified to lead your corporate campaign.
4. Sustainability - Do you have staff to manage this for you? Will they be able to continue into the future? Social Media is a long term strategy where you need to become engaged, and stay engaged, with customers. You can't just fly in and out, because there will be no trust, and therefore, no benefit for you. Can you be bothered being in Social Media for the long run?
Playing the devils advocate on this one, I could also say that it doesn't matter if you're not. Social Media is a relatively low investment thing to set up, so if it doesn't work out, you can just stop doing it. But I reiterate - Social Media is a longer term strategy, and to make it work
well, you need commitment.
5. Is your brand strong enough? Think hard about the current attitudes towards your brand - are they strong enough to withstand some bad feedback? Are there people out there who would want the opportunity to attack your brand publicly? If so, you might want to think about more low profile or even one-way communication strategies to help improve your brand image before you move on to social media.
This isn't meant to be a list of reasons
not to undertake social media, only some things to consider before you do. Social Media is a risky business, it is out there in the public eye and could be up on the net forever. Take the time to plan it well, know what you want from it, and be ready with a contingency plan.