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?
Reasons Social Networking Is Business Compatible
First on the list of reasons is "Branding". A key factor for customers to find your business is advertising and since conventional TV, radio and print ads costs are expensive, small businesses resort to social media for their brands to be recognized by the masses. Social network profiles have info tabs, bios you can fill out, and straightforward info people would like to know such as hours of operation and top products and/or services.
A Facebook business page, a LinkedIn account for freelancers and executives to display career track and skills, can get more people to discover you these days.
Why Social Networking Will Fail Businesses
There are also several reasons put forth by many skeptics and at the top is that social networking effort is a time sucker. It swallows the time you better spend for 'actual' business and is a huge productivity destroyer for your employees. Not to mention the malicious programs that might seep into the company's network because of clueless colleagues, and not only that, tactless comments that might harm your brand and cost you a customer or two.
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.
Yes, time is needed to keep your social accounts interesting; time is needed to take care of friends, fans and contacts and have a 'talking' relationship with them.
Most organizations jump into social networking, formulate a social media strategy, create the accounts and fill them with links. Then block these sites in the workplace. Having an empty account in the social web are just like having empty shells and will give nothing to you, to your customers and potential ones. When they land into your pages and see absolutely zero talk happening they will perceive your business dead, and you know you've failed.
Reasons Social Networking Is Business Compatible
First on the list of reasons is "Branding". A key factor for customers to find your business is advertising and since conventional TV, radio and print ads costs are expensive, small businesses resort to social media for their brands to be recognized by the masses. Social network profiles have info tabs, bios you can fill out, and straightforward info people would like to know such as hours of operation and top products and/or services.
A Facebook business page, a LinkedIn account for freelancers and executives to display career track and skills, can get more people to discover you these days.
Why Social Networking Will Fail Businesses
There are also several reasons put forth by many skeptics and at the top is that social networking effort is a time sucker. It swallows the time you better spend for 'actual' business and is a huge productivity destroyer for your employees. Not to mention the malicious programs that might seep into the company's network because of clueless colleagues, and not only that, tactless comments that might harm your brand and cost you a customer or two.
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.
Yes, time is needed to keep your social accounts interesting; time is needed to take care of friends, fans and contacts and have a 'talking' relationship with them.
Most organizations jump into social networking, formulate a social media strategy, create the accounts and fill them with links. Then block these sites in the workplace. Having an empty account in the social web are just like having empty shells and will give nothing to you, to your customers and potential ones. When they land into your pages and see absolutely zero talk happening they will perceive your business dead, and you know you've failed.
About the Author:
Hugh McCabe has been conducting trainings and workshops for companies and PR agencies to perfectly align their internet marketing strategies with social media and social networking. Discover the latest and the best internet marketing techniques by heading over his blog http://hughmccabe.co.za
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