Precise recently held a panel on social media and its applications for corporations in London, inviting C-level execs and communications heads to share their views and best practices.
I've shared their review of the discussion below but thought I'd highlight a few insights:
"Although there was consensus that social media provided an opportunity to obtain views from stakeholder groups (customers, shareholders etc) there were clear differences in the value attributed to views that failed to break through into the mainstream media, and a note of caution to beware of PR consultants bearing shiny, new social media services."
This serves to emphasize a trend I think we’ve seen here at Media Monitors Singapore – that the usefulness and opportunities provided by social media apply unevenly across businesses. It can be a useful outlet for communications and certainly should not be ignored – but relevance is determined by the target audience, and increases where there’s crossover into traditional media forms.
This is emphasized by a later point:
"There were positive views from the panel and the floor on the value of social media, particularly Twitter, as a channel to communicate with customers, for instance during crises such as the recent ash cloud, or in order to drive sales. However there was clear agreement that social media represents a potential additional channel and not a wholesale replacement for traditional customer communication channels."
Integration across media seems to be the key, using social media to drive engagement directly with customers, but mass media remains an important platform for branding, to create those customers in the first place.
They've also posted some Tips from the Masters on their website – worth having a look.
From Precise:
Social media for corporates: essential channel or unnecessary distraction?
Our panel of industry experts - moderated by Helen Dunne of CorpComms magazine - led a lively debate with a packed room of senior communicators on the value and role of social media in PR and strategic activity.
The panel comprised Paul Charles - chief operating officer at Lewis PR, Peter Morgan - director of communications at Rolls Royce, Neville Hobson - head of social media Europe at WCG and Georgina Wald - corporate communications manager at Domino's Pizza UK and Ireland.
There were positive views from the panel and the floor on the value of social media, particularly Twitter, as a channel to communicate with customers, for instance during crises such as the recent ash cloud, or in order to drive sales. However there was clear agreement that social media represents a potential additional channel and not a wholesale replacement for traditional customer communication channels.
Although there was consensus that social media provided an opportunity to obtain views from stakeholder groups (customers, shareholders etc) there were clear differences in the value attributed to views that failed to break through into the mainstream media, and a note of caution to beware of PR consultants bearing shiny, new social media services. The panel noted the return to the fore of traditional media during the UK election in contrast to the 2008 US election.
The argument was made that social media requires communicators to shift their thinking from the way they view mainstream media - it's about forming new connections with different audiences and identifying that there are a handful of people online who have the power to influence what others may say about brands.
The panel agreed that effective measurement of communications activity just like in any other area of PR depended on setting clear and measurable objectives for social media activity.
The overall conclusion from the exchange was that social media represents a new channel of communication for PR people and that the importance of the channel to an organisation depends on the audience they are trying to reach both in terms of their presence in social media and their willingness/motivation to discuss relevant topics.
Tips from the experts can be downloaded from Precise News at: http://www.precise.co.uk/precise-news.aspx and we'll circulate a full write-up on the event in due course.