Why WE'RE failing with Social Media

By now, many of us would agree that our knowledge of social media is a continual process.  We learned by doing--and for some, we learned by getting burned by it.  As a corporate communication major, like many of you, I feel like I have a pretty good idea of what tools to apply to social media.  Would it surprise you if I said that we are actually the ones failing at it?

You might have noticed that I said how 'We' are failing in the corporate world.   Because those of us that consider ourselves to be 'corporate communicators' are largely responsible for how social media functions within our organizations, we must gain an understanding of the common mistakes individuals make in our field.  According to CMSwire, companies are struggling to get internal stakeholders to understand the importance of social networking and it's ability to reach mass audiences. Therefore, adoption of different avenues is difficult, but maintaining them at the needed rate becomes almost impossible.  These people are our internal responsibility.  External communication is just as important as internal.

Another obstacle that we are facing is trying to keep up with the Joneses.  In other words, we become so consumed with the latest social media trends that we neglect ones that are also critical components of the process. In my experience, social media platforms can become overwhelming if they are not limited, and then targeted to a certain consumer.  Quality of work will suffer if an organization has too many irons in the fire.

On the flip side, organizations are seeking employees who do not have preconcieved notions about what social media and corporate communication entail.  This can be beneficial to the social aspects of the company because they bring fresh ideas and unique concepts to the development of social media.  They are not 'blindly holding onto ideas of traditional communication.'

Whatever your major is, think about your idea of social media marketing.  Are you willing to step out of the box?  Maybe take a risk and try something new?

Remember, an organization's social media is only as good as its weakest link. Don't let it be you.