Companies of all sizes have reportedly blocked social network sites in the workplace. What's your take on the matter? Do you consider social sites productivity degraders, and even harmful?
Why Social Networking For Business Is a Win
Branding is perhaps the #1 reason. One key factor for customers to find you is through advertising and while conventional types are too expensive today, the social media has provided a small biz to reach various demographics for it to be known. Social profiles give out direct, relevant info that allows any marketer to do business effectively with his or her target demographic.
Having a business profile online such as a Facebook page for your brick-and-mortar business, or a LinkedIn profile for your skills if you are the type who do freelance, is a more direct, more accessible way to reach you as most people tend to search online.
Why Social Networking For Business Is a Fail
Many sceptics argue social networks when implemented in business will fail due to the fact that it is a black hole of a time sucker. They argue it gobbles up time you better spend doing actual business and that it ruins staff productivity. Malicious programs and viruses that could seep into your systems, tactless comments and mistakes easily spirals into workplace hassle and brand negativity that could lose customers.
Leading A Different Fork Opposite Failure
The skeptics' arguments are somewhat valid, in fact, there are a number of businesses and individuals out there who failed in social networking, not because of the reasons above but because, first and foremost, they didn't bother to understand what makes people in the social networks tick and why.
Indeed, it takes time to keep your profiles interesting, take care of the friends, fans and contacts connected to you and have an interaction with them.
Most organizations jump into social networking, formulate a social media strategy, create the accounts and fill them with links. They think that's about it and move on to block social networks in the workplace. These empty social accounts are nothing but dead pages that will give no benefit whatsoever to you, your customers and potential clients. When people are led to your empty shell of an account they will presume your business dead, and you will soon realize your efforts in social networking for business have failed.
Why Social Networking For Business Is a Win
Branding is perhaps the #1 reason. One key factor for customers to find you is through advertising and while conventional types are too expensive today, the social media has provided a small biz to reach various demographics for it to be known. Social profiles give out direct, relevant info that allows any marketer to do business effectively with his or her target demographic.
Having a business profile online such as a Facebook page for your brick-and-mortar business, or a LinkedIn profile for your skills if you are the type who do freelance, is a more direct, more accessible way to reach you as most people tend to search online.
Why Social Networking For Business Is a Fail
Many sceptics argue social networks when implemented in business will fail due to the fact that it is a black hole of a time sucker. They argue it gobbles up time you better spend doing actual business and that it ruins staff productivity. Malicious programs and viruses that could seep into your systems, tactless comments and mistakes easily spirals into workplace hassle and brand negativity that could lose customers.
Leading A Different Fork Opposite Failure
The skeptics' arguments are somewhat valid, in fact, there are a number of businesses and individuals out there who failed in social networking, not because of the reasons above but because, first and foremost, they didn't bother to understand what makes people in the social networks tick and why.
Indeed, it takes time to keep your profiles interesting, take care of the friends, fans and contacts connected to you and have an interaction with them.
Most organizations jump into social networking, formulate a social media strategy, create the accounts and fill them with links. They think that's about it and move on to block social networks in the workplace. These empty social accounts are nothing but dead pages that will give no benefit whatsoever to you, your customers and potential clients. When people are led to your empty shell of an account they will presume your business dead, and you will soon realize your efforts in social networking for business have failed.
About the Author:
Hugh has been helping companies align their internet marketing strategies with social networking through trainings and workshops. Go straight to the most effective online marketing techniques and advices on his blog http://hughmccabe.co.za. This article, Winning In Social Networking: Why Sceptics Advocate Fail And What You Can Do To Win is released under a creative commons attribution license.
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