Social Networking in the Workplace |
A recent U.S. study showed concern among business executives that the use of social networking in the workplace can lead to undesirable outcomes, citing productivity and damaged brand reputation as the leading reasons. As a result, many employers are blocking employees from specific social networking sites, but what they may be missing out on is the opportunity for employees to utilize social networking to build relationships and a company’s brand. It’s a double-edged sword with very sharp edges. The study found that 40 percent of companies technically block their employees from accessing social media while at work, while paradoxically, the overwhelming majority of executives feel social networking sites are an important business tool. (Source: Russell Herder And Ethos Business Law, August 2009) Highlights of the survey:
The use of sites like LinkedIn can be very useful for employees and business executives alike, as this site is aimed more at a business audience than a recreational one. For example, I recently received a voicemail about a possible new business opportunity. I took the name and number down, searched the contact on LinkedIn and instantly had a business background about the person contacted that me. From their page, I was able to view link to their company’s website (which was not coming up on a Google search) and return the call within a half an hour with at least a rudimentary knowledge of the company’s business. Being in the client service industry, this is a valuable tool which I would like all my employees to have access to. I also want my employees to talk to their contacts about the new and innovative things happening here, as it builds our reputation and our brand. It can become a tool for recruiting and endorsement. Ah, but there’s the other edge of that sword, disgruntled employees can also demean and defame the brand. So each company exec needs to weight the pluses against the minuses; potential lost productivity through overuse and abuse and possible brand damage vs. possible increased business intelligence and brand reputation enhancement. Social media like any other business tool (such as internet access, phone calls, photocopier, etc.) should be part of a formalized policy to ensure the privilege is not abused with clear parameters for use regarding when and how these sites can be accessed as well as what content can be posted while on company time. It won’t be perfect, but we have to start somewhere. - Jim Kabrajee, Partner, jimk@marshall-fenn.com |
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3 Ways Online Videos Fail |
The popularity of YouTube is no secret. Reviewing the success of YouTube has already been done by the experts and won’t be repeated here. Suffice to say, it’s become a household name with hundreds of millions of videos viewed on the hosting site every day (http://www.youtube.com/t/fact_sheet) as people search to learn and be entertained. Should viewers find something that truly stands-out, they pass a link to their friends, post it to blogs, Facebook, etc. and, suddenly, the video becomes “viral”. Marketers everywhere salivate at the thought of millions of self-motivated people passing along a video with a corporate message to their friends and family. But, similar to creating any marketing material, creating a video that lands online with a “thud” is a lot easier than capturing the attention of the Web community. How do you keep your video project from falling into the Internet abyss? 1) Your video must serve the viewer’s needs, not yours. If you’re looking for maximum eyeballs, heavy handed messaging will tune people out. But if it’s funny, educational, controversial or fascinating, you increase your chances for success. Approach the video concept the way you would a new product or service: What can you provide that people want? Sometimes you can catch someone’s attention while promoting a product at the same time (http://www.willitblend.com/). 2) Promote the video. As with anything else a company does, a communications push should be behind the launch of something new. That said, the traditional rules of communication still apply, so choose your words carefully. For instance, marketing/advertising blogger Steve Hall (http://www.adrants.com) questions companies that call a recently-launched video “viral” in press releases before the success of the video can be evaluated (http://www.adrants.com/2005/07/viral-advertising-is-a-response-not-a.php). Always stick to the facts and leave the editorial to the recipient. 3) Play nice with others. If you can’t produce a world-conquering video on your own, maybe someone else can. A well-run promotion asking the public to submit – and vote on – their own videos based on your criteria can simultaneously take your company into the online video world, create content quickly and encourage people to pass their work on to others. There are risks, of course, but with the right pain threshold, user generated content promotions are a boon for brand recognition. While it’s tempting to just jump right in, success with online video is no different than any other marketing initiative: Requiring the establishment of objectives, effective execution, follow-up and management. - Chad Heard, Senior Consultant, chadh@marshall-fenn.com Next entry: The recession of 08/09 may be over, but what does that mean for marketers? |
