A Social Media Primer for Organizations & 5 Valuable Guidelines
Sep 28 | Ashley, Public Relations Account Executive
Social Media, also known as User-Generated Content (UGC), allows organizations to connect with key publics in Web-based communities. These communities, which usually require registration from each user, allow for real-time interaction among organizations and their current and potential clients.
There are universal benefits to participating in social networks and increasing your brand’s online presence: it’s free and provides 24/7 access to your brand, real-time information dissemination, exposure to unlimited potential customers, and an ability to deliver prompt customer service to clients while managing relationship expectations.
Prior to charging forward with a social media campaign, an organization must first understand the minimum commitment necessary to deliver success. Like most efforts, you get out of it what you put into it, and it’s better to have no social media presence than a poor one.
It’s important to recognize and use social media tools for your specific organizations or risk losing profitable business opportunities. A crucial, initial step for any organization wanting positive ROI from social media is taking time to research and evaluate Internet-centric media applications against its mission, vision, core values, target audiences, goals, and product or service. It may be difficult to choose appropriate online networks and tools for conducting business and increasing brand awareness. A simple, effective way to begin your research is to survey your target audiences regarding which networks and tools they use.
Once your organization commits to actively participating in a social media community and has identified which tools to utilize, you must set guidelines for all employees who are participating in your social media effort.
Last, but certainly not least, it is critical to provide valuable, relevant information about your organization and industry on a consistent basis in any online network. Understand how to engage users and develop trust and credibility.
Patterson/Bach can help you determine your minimum commitment, research your audiences to identify the most appropriate and effective tools and applications, develop employee guidelines, and generate valuable, consistent content. If your organization needs help getting started or increasing your social media efforts, contact Patterson/Bach.