Forging Ahead

I wrote my bio today for my first blog with my employer. I'm still a little in awe of how far we've come, while at the same time humbled that I've a long way to go. 

To say that companies are reluctant to enter the social media world is unfair. It seems to me that it is more to do with defining a clear vision and strategy for what you want to accomplish. All of the social media tools out there are fun and exciting and that can end up being only that. But our executives are right - it isn't the right idea to go skipping out there willy nilly sans shoes. Our toes may get stubbed. 

I've spent the bulk of my career trying to get the message across how technology - and Web applications - furthers the reach of communications. But it's not about jumping at the latest technology for technology sake. But, rather, looking at the various new tools in Web communications and seeing where they make a nice fit for a communications tactic. That's right, I said tactic. Somehow the buzz on social media in the communications world has created this unrealistic view that social media will be the new answer to communications. 

Yes, we hear every day that newspapers and traditional news media are waning. Yes, we know that citizen journalism is on the rise. But it still takes a strategic eye to an overall communications objective to determine whether social media is the correct fit. Just like we define when a face-to-face meeting is the correct tactic to handle a specific communication issue, we need to define what social media tools are appropriate for which purposes. It's still not better to do a podcast instead of direct communication to communicate change, for example.

That might sound simple. But I keep seeing examples of communicators running at the latest thing in social media just because it's cool, with little forethought to why that specific tool makes a good tactic for what they're trying to convey. It's still all about strategic communications, after all. By all means insert a social media tactic or two. Just make it meaningful and measurable. You'll get a lot further selling a social media plan when you approach the C-suite knowing why you're using the tool and how you can show it made a difference.