Making the Case for New Media Adoption
Examples of effective social media use
Let’s not talk strategy. As a presenter and consultant I do a lot of that — broad overviews with philosophical discussions about the fundamental shift in the way in which we communicate.
Let’s not wring our hands while standing on the sidelines wondering exactly how to best begin playing the new media game.
Let’s not put off till tomorrow something we can do today to take advantage of the year’s hottest marketing trend: social media.
Instead, with this, my last Social Media Minute article as the 2009 program director for the Social Media Club of Salt Lake City, let’s talk about some specific examples of how organizations are benefiting from participation in new media.
University of Maryland Medical Center
Touting the availability and affordability of social media tools, the University of Maryland Medical Center is leading the way in its category, showing other medical centers how it’s done.
“New medical treatment options, daily hospital news and community events such as blood drives and educational programs are just a few of the things those who connect with UMMC through its social media program have first-hand access to.”
We all like to be in-the-know and receive VIP treatment. UMMC uses social media to provide just such information and treatment to its varied constituents.
Also of note is University of Maryland Medical Center’s handling of commentary on social media channels. A published, forthright approach that lays down what’s acceptable and what’s not is best.
Here’s what UMCC has to say about it:
“Comments to the Medical Center-sponsored sites, such as its blog, Website online feedback form or social media sites, including Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, are welcome and encouraged, and we look forward to hearing from you. To promote respectful discussion within this forum, we request that you be courteous and productive and avoid comments that are profane, obscene, offensive, sexually explicit, inappropriate, inflammatory or otherwise objectionable. Blogs often foster debate of an issue; users are to engage in such exchanges with mutual respect for others’ opinions.”
They go on from there. The UMCC Comments Policy and Blog Participation Terms and Conditions provide a fine example to other organizations.
And while we’re talking about new media policies, I encourage you to check out the Social Media Governance site which includes, as of this writing, 110 example policies broken down by organization and industry. It’s an excellent resource if your organization doesn’t yet have its own new media policy.
Southwest Airlines
Besides low airline fares, open seating, friendly employees, complimentary soft drinks and peanuts, Southwest Airlines sets an airline industry standard for utilization of social media tools.
One visit to the company’s blog, Nuts About Southwest, has you interacting with articles, taking polls, listening to the company’s podcast, RedBellyRadio (you should listen to their rapping flight attendant if you haven’t caught him on Leno or YouTube), and connecting via YouTube, Flickr, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
Sure Southwest is a bright star in the airline industry and has a healthy marketing communication budget. Still, take a look at what they’re doing, then apply those principles to your business.
An Exhaustive List of Social Media Marketing Examples
Ever heard of Peter Kim? His blog, BeingPeterKim.com, is a favorite stop of mine.
Last year he began a list of social media marketing examples. It’s a living breathing list that now includes more than 320 brands. I recommend you visit his site, look for companies similar to yours, and see the noteworthy new media activities in which they’re participating.
Then, if you want to see a social media analyst’s view of some of the brands Peter highlights, visit the IgniteSocialMedia.com site’s post: 26 Social Media Marketing Examples in Detail.
Internet Monitoring, Measurement and Search Tools
Finally, I’m going to suggest you pay a visit to my own blog, PeteCodella.com, where I talk about digital public relations — the practice of public relations in the new technologically driven world of communication.
I wrote in October about Internet monitoring, measurement and search tools.
An often overlooked aspect of social media is the ability for organizations to harvest data quickly and inexpensively to find out what people are saying about your people, products, brands and services. Social media provides for quick and easy focus groups.
Having an Internet monitoring system in place is just as important to your business as maintaining an insurance policy.
The next step is participating on social media channels so that when the time comes, you already have the tools necessary with which to provide accurate information and pursue engagement with your constituents.
