Are companies wasting their time with social media profiles?

Social media can both be useful and practical; it can actually be a good use of time. Like most powerful tools, it can be used well or badly. Below are some points I’ve taken from articles I read on this topic.

Reasons why it is important: 

Social media provides virtually instant access to information throughout the world,     thus giving businesses the ability to share news about their products and services with people that were once out of reach.  It gives you access to prospects and alliances worldwide therefore your advertising opportunities can grow exponentially. 

Social media opens your business-door to the world, both in a personal and  professional capacity. As the result of your core relationships, other relationship opportunities become available within the various social media platforms. Social media can be utilized in the same way as face-to-face meetings.  Social media offers the ability to meet people online that you may never have the opportunity to meet in person.

Reasons why it matter:

Social media is a ubiquitous part of everyday communication. 

In just a few years, Facebook, Twitter and other social media have changed the way we communicate about everything from the brands we like (or dislike) to the way we shop as well as how we manage projects. With the technology still maturing – along with some of its more colourful users – social media is a powerful tool for connecting with customers, because the cost of reach is low and the number of people it reaches is potentially very high. 

“Employers need a clear strategy on how they address social media and present their brand. It has to be part of an overall brand strategy and not a free-for-all,” says Nick Deligiannis, Managing Director of recruiting firm Hays in Australia. According to Mittelmark, “One of the reasons for the success of social media networks is that they help address a major flaw in current search technologies”. Now, the Internet provides the opportunity to monitor not only your own profile, but also that of any competitors, and relevant developments in your industry for little or no cost. A few simple steps allow you to react, engage and connect with the people talking about your brand. 

Personally, I don’t think companies are wasting their time, but they have to check whether they still keeping the main thing the main thing. They should also check whether their reason for using social media has changed.  

While social media may help raise a company’s profile, Hays Journal found that social media ranked among the top five sources of risk to a business. Just as social media has the power to support and drive an employee value proposition; badly handled, it can completely undermine those efforts. And worse, the evidence remains online indefinitely.”