How much time do you spend on social media in a given workday? I’m not talking about checking out your friends’ photos on Facebook and perusing their status updates while you think that nobody is looking---I’m talking about using all that social media has to offer in a way that advances you as well as your business brand in an efficient way.
In case you have been living under a rock for the past year or so, social media has exploded in popularity. Facebook has just topped Google when it comes to directing web traffic, LinkedIn, with its 72 million members was just said to be growing at a rate of one member per second and Twitter is trying to recover from crashes because it can’t handle the skyrocketing number of hits it receives everyday.
Using social media in the workplace is a practice that is evolving daily and is lacking a user guide. How do you start? What should you post? How often should you post and where? It is quite possible to spend all day, everyday, networking, using all that the social media technology has to offer. But it must be asked, is it worth it? The answer is a resounding YES. Wade Burgess, the director of sales for LinkedIn just gave a webcast to Human Capital Institute members(check it out if you haven’t already!) that brought to light a recent study: "HR professionals understand the potential of social media and overwhelmingly agree (83 percent) that these technologies can improve communication, bring greater efficiency to the workplace and provide great insight about people’s interests and motivations. They also understand it offers immense opportunities for learning and knowledge sharing."
In the past months I have become a social media connoisseur. I say this somewhat tongue in cheek… However, I have found that by devoting my time month after month, trying to figure out the realm of social media, I have been able to find the fine balance that so many have yet to discover. The big issue for me was finding out how much work I needed to put in to see results, in other words, what would prove to be an effective use of my efforts…and what would turn out to be a huge waste of time. Erik Qualman, author of “Socialnomics, How Social Media Transforms the Way We Live and Do Business,” hits the nail on the head by saying, “We don’t have a choice on whether we DO social media, the question is how well we DO it.”
How much of your workday should be spent on social media? There are many grappling with this question, including Dave Armano, a senior vice president at Edelman Digital. Armano consults brands such as Blackberry and eBay to help them manage online conversations on Twitter, Facebook and MySpace. Armano struggles with maintaining authentic, one-on-one interaction with clients and customers when there are thousands of them and only one person managing the Twitter, Facebook and MySpace accounts. The bottom line is that in social media, it is necessary to take an active role in order to see success. While RSS feeds are making it easier and easier for social media mavens, use caution to ensure that you and your brand are not regarded as being overly automated. It is important to connect with followers on a personal level and respond to any questions or feedback they may have. Never ignore a reaction to your posts. Ever.
The key to managing social media outlets efficiently, is identifying the overarching goal. From a professional standpoint, LinkedIn offers an ideal opportunity to connect with other workers in your field, while MySpace is clogged with material of questionable value—According to S. Craig Watkins’ book, “The Young and The Digital,” college students describe the site as being “crowded,” “trashy,” “creepy” and “uneducated.” Facebook can be a used as a great business expanding opportunity, or it can also be used solely as a social site. Look into building a separate profile for your work persona if you already have a Facebook page. (Check out this Blog from HCI’s own Amanda Lewis: “Leading a Double Facebook Life.”) Twitter offers some very user-friendly tools to get your content out in the world. According to Twitter, more than 300,000 people a day are signing up for new accounts…That’s some audience! Kevin Macleod, an HCI member posts some sound advice in our LinkedIn group, “Like any other corporate strategy, you need to start with the basics. I would suggest that you take a step back and really understand what your goals are, who your market is, and what is the best method, approach and tools to reach that market.”
Start by building profiles. These should be professional and should offer information about your field of work. If you are using Facebook, make a page for your business as well. Wade Burgess provides insight on how to get started with LinkedIn and other networks, “watch people that you respect and see what they do,” to get a feel of the groups. Join a few groups that fit your professional background then join in on discussions. He suggests blocking out a designated “social media” time in your workweek. To being with, 30 minutes every other day is a great starting point. Check out the activity of your colleagues as well as the activity of your competitors to gauge the level of activity. Search for groups in your field; request to join them, or “Like” them in Facebook lingo. It doesn’t hurt to join 10 groups on your first day and observe the activity. You will find that some groups can be valuable resources. These groups have active discussions, with many contributors and a clean group page- meaning no Spam. When you feel comfortable with the flow, continue growing your connections and sharing your input. This is a great way to start getting your name out there to build a credible reputation.
No matter what you do, jump on the social media bandwagon, you can’t afford not to!
Image: Matt Hamm
Great insight on social media!