Last month I blogged about the issue of Control in social media, and I’ve read a few blogs and heard a few conversations lately, that lead me to believe I need to address the issue again.
One of the biggest fears businesses have regarding entering the world of social media, is a feeling that by jumping onto Facebook and Twitter, they run the risk of losing control. In particular, control of the message and control of their brand.
On the contrary, I would argue that if you are NOT utilizing social media, you may have already lost control of your message and brand.
The argument goes like this:
- Create a Facebook page for your business
- People become “fans” or members of your community
- Those fans can post anything on your page, including negative or damaging comments
- PR nightmare ensues, you lose control, and the sky is falling.
Right?
Wrong.
I’m with you up until point #4.
Think about it. The Internet exists, with or without you. That same “fan” who can post damaging content on your Facebook wall can do the same thing, with or without you! If I want to damage your company I already have the ability to blog about you. I can write nasty things about you all over Facebook, maybe even create a nice video on YouTube. People can link to what I’m saying, and before you know it…you really DO have a PR nightmare on your hands, and there is little you can do about it.
Ayelet Noff recently discussed this in The Top Five Misconceptions About Social Media over at Socialmedia.biz.
People will talk about your brand whether you like it or not. Opening a Facebook page is not going to change it and not opening a Facebook page is not going to make it go away. The question is: Do you want to be a part of that conversation or not? By having a presence in social networks and blogs, you as a brand show your customers and employees that you care about their feedback and that you are there to listen and satisfy their needs…
…Brands should not be afraid of engaging in honest and transparent conversations with their clients online but rather they should be very afraid of ignoring their customers’ complaints and pretending that everything’s fine when it’s not.
But…what if someone posts negative comments on YOUR blog or YOUR Facebook business page wall? Suddenly, you DO control your message and branding. In other words, the kids are playing in YOUR sandbox.
Again, you can refer back to my previous blog on control, but in short, you now have the ability to address these issues in a public forum. In most cases, you can provide an amazing level of customer service by addressing the issue head on, in a public comment. Answer the objection. In this way, the person with the complaint has their problem solved (hopefully), and the rest of the community witnesses this happening.
In the extremely rare case that someone posts something extremely inflammatory or egregious on your Facebook wall, all you have to do is delete it. It’s your wall, and you have final say on what gets posted there.
Additionally, there is actually very little spam on Facebook and Twitter, and again, you control it. When it comes to Twitter, you have complete control over your message, as well as control over whom you follow or allow to follow you. There is little that anyone can do to damage your reputation.
Websites and blogs are great, and are important parts of an overall marketing mix. You are reading my blog on my website. But a website is rather one-dimensional, and not usually conducive to conversation. A blog is a step closer to conversation, if people decide to comment. But networking sites like Facebook and Twitter allow you to open up a constructive dialogue with your fans and customers. And even if someone posts damaging comments on their own blog, you now have various social media properties, in addition to your blog and website, that can be used to address your side of the story, and perhaps even get help from those members of your community who support you.
Don’t be afraid. Don’t believe the hype. The sky is not falling. You have nothing to lose…and an awful lot to gain.
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