Companies no longer strive to sell only a product or a service; they aim to sell a brand. A major focal point of branding for organizations is public perception. You may be wondering how a company controls its brand image. It’s simple – social media.
Some companies reject social media while others embrace it and set off running. Whatever your stance on social media, it’s out there and thriving, so it’s in your best interest to be informed about social media usage.
At its most basic level, social media is comprised of various Internet-based tools that promote interpersonal interaction among companies and individuals. Popular media for this interpersonal communication include Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
Beginning your social media journey with accounts on Facebook and Twitter is an excellent initial step. These sites have intuitive set-up processes with step-by-step instructions on how to create accounts.
Twitter is often considered to be the best medium through which companies can interact with customers or potential customers. In fact, the effects of this two-way communication tool have been so significant that there is a considerable trend of companies hiring social media-savvy individuals for the sole management of Twitter and Facebook accounts (for example, check out @Wachovia and @BofA_Help).
Interpersonal communication has become increasingly important to customers and greatly impacts their brand perception. Why not allow customers to share ideas, applaud your work or product, ask specific questions or express their qualms through social media? It’s in a company’s advantage to hear from the target market what they are doing right or wrong.
Not only does social media allow companies to create interpersonal faces, but it also assists in the continual building of online networks. Press releases, events and promotions can instantly be made accessible to hundreds and thousands of people thanks to the ease of social media.
Stay up to speed on the latest social media news by regularly visiting sites such as mashable.com.
What are your thoughts on social media? Are you on the social media bandwagon or do you plan to join soon? We’d love to hear from you – comment on our blog post or shoot us a tweet @RiversAgency.