Managing Online Communities With Social Media | Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn

Imagine grabbing a bite at a popular diner down the street from your company's new location. A conversation at a nearby table is getting louder. You overhear bits and pieces about low pay and bad benefits, quotas so high that quality is sacrificed. You cringe when you hear that the group is talking about your company.

Then, someone at another table interrupts. "Has anyone actually been in the new facility?" he asks. This person took a tour of the facility yesterday and was impressed by the equipment and the organization. Someone else adds that her husband works there, and the complaints about low pay and high quotas just aren't true.

You listen as members of your new community defend your company, presenting the facts and exposing the rumors. For many businesses, this is what happens every day on social media websites.

The Truth About Social Media
Social media is scary for a business executive. Businesses open a door and allow the outside world to look in. And the outside world talks. The person you didn't hire leaves anonymous comments. The small group that thought your new location should be preserved as farmland fires off a response. A union representative who wants to organize may join the conversation - right on your page. That's the bad side of social media. Here's the good.

"Nothing is more satisfying than seeing your customers or employees defend your brand without prompting," says Jeff Bodzewski, vice president of corporate branding at MS&L. As a consultant, he developed social media programs for brands including Nissan/Infiniti and wireless provider Cricket.

"The community begins to self-regulate and clear up misconceptions or false information," he says. "Conversations are happening online about your company, and the most common mistake is ignoring that conversation. It's better to be part of it."

What should you do before those defenders comment?
"The worst thing a company can do is take down comments and criticisms," Bodzewski says. "This is interactive. At Cricket, when someone criticized the company we wanted to know why. It was a chance to improve the company." When someone posts negative information, companies should see it as a chance to change perceptions, to correct a wrong, or to supply accurate information.

And what about the disgruntled job seeker you didn't hire who won't listen to anything you write?
"You do occasionally have someone that doesn't want to listen to reason," Bodzewski says. "I typically counsel businesses to block that person after attempting to interact."

The New Community
Social media and its myriad formats (such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and numerous other online gathering places) can play a vital role in introducing your company to a new community or saying goodbye to an old one. Some benefits include the opportunity to connect with prospective employees and local suppliers.

Social media also provides a way for your company to provide unedited and comprehensive information to your new neighbors about topics such as wastewater, traffic, or site usage.

Kevin Hegebarth, vice president of marketing for GMT Corporation, understands social media's value. GMT manufactures work force management software and started using social media last year. Hegebarth has found that his company's Twitter followers include industry publications.

"With Twitter, we're sending out mini press releases," Hegebarth says. "The big difference is we're not spending several hundred dollars to pay a wire service to get it out to publications or in the hands of reporters. We send a brief and reporters call us if they're interested."

But social media is just one form of media that should be in your company's arsenal.

"You wouldn't go into a new community without planning to contact the local newspaper or television or radio. Use social media because it's part of the community. It is social," says Marjorie Kalter, professor of marketing, advertising, and public relations at New York University. Kalter, who formerly served as executive vice president of the Wunderman advertising agency, managed marketing programs for AT&T and Kraft.

Social media works best when it is part of a comprehensive communications and marketing strategy, Kalter says. Her advice? Don't view social media as a novelty.

"Start with a plan instead of just opening a page," she says. "Social media is interactive. You have to maintain it."

GMT Corporation has done just that with its social media strategy.

"Social media posts are just tools," Hegebarth says. "They are amplifiers. The content of the message and how the message will resonate with people is what really matters."

Who's In Charge?
Most companies assign social media cultivation to public relations and marketing departments. Kalter compares the responsibility to being an online company spokesperson.

"The person who is responsible has to be able to monitor your company's image," she says. "The person has to know when to respond and how to respond, so in many aspects it is a public relations and marketing role."

Although social media may be key to the information revolution, the skill set it requires is old school.

"The person has to be able to write. Tweets are 140 characters, so writing is important," Kalter says. "Your new community isn't going to be impressed with errors in grammar and spelling."

Before You Open An Account
Kalter had advice for companies that are ready to jump into social media.

"The most important thing is to prepare company guidelines," she says. "Everyone in the company should know who is responsible and who to contact."

While social media may fall under marketing and public relations, everyone should be involved in developing the guidelines. These should be comprehensive and address everything that the responsible department may need to know. Your company may post an invitation to its official ribbon cutting and open house. The first reply may be from a person who wants to know where applicants need to go for drug testing, or if the company can save the 100 year old oak tree on the edge of its property. It's impossible to anticipate all of those questions. But guidelines can provide an outline for response.

Once guidelines are developed, educate everyone about the company's social media goals and plans. Those working in departments not directly responsible for the social media network need to know the time constraints of this medium. A response is expected in hours, not days.

Letting Go
While guidelines may lead your company's social media team to think it can manage the medium, Kalter said that's not the case.

"Anyone who wants to can comment on your business," she says. "Some might be true, some may not be. The company has to reach out proactively and also respond."

And with social networking, what's posted on the Internet doesn't always stay there. Thanks to YouTube, viral videos have made superstars out of dancing babies and singing dogs. Repeated tweets and Facebook rumors have led the traditional press to report false news.

While you can't control who talks about you, you can target your content to reach certain demographics, prospective employees, and customers. While you may have to deal with an unhappy neighbor, you could also have the chance to interact with an unemployed engineer, or the purchasing manager of your dream client.

"Look in unexpected places and you can build some valuable relationships," Hegebarth says. "Listen to the community. If you are an automotive supplier, look for the groups where engineers talk. Look for people in your sector. You may have nothing to offer but information. Share data and information that highlights your competitive edge."

Who's Following Who?
With its 140-character limit and high profile celebrity rivalries, Twitter is perhaps the least utilized social media among business executives. Maybe it's just misunderstood. But Hegebarth credits his company's Twitter activity with opening doors to new clients and boosting public awareness.

"Part of any business enterprise is letting people know what we do," he says. "We use Twitter just to get messages out about new products or welcome new customers."

The company had 99 followers and followed 73 organizations and individuals on Twitter at press time. Hegebarth says growing contacts is key to succeeding on Twitter.

"We set up our page and then followed those who influence our market," he says. "When we followed them, they followed us. Twitter is like networking."

When GMT followed BAI, a professional banking association, BAI followed GMT, which offers specialized software for banks. "When someone sees BAI is following us, then they think about following us," Hegebarth says. One of those followers happened to be an influential analyst.

"We were hoping to engage people who write about or influence purchase decisions," Hegebarth says. "An analyst recently contacted us to request a briefing after following us. Subsequently, we were included in his report. That interaction didn't take a lot of time or effort, but it established a relationship."

Four Rules of Social Media
1. Never pose as a customer or citizen. Be honest about who you are.
2. Respond to questions quickly.
3. Make contact information (phone, e-mail, address) easy to find.
4. Tell the truth. Social media brings a new level of accountability.

In your new community, "friend," follow, and read the following to get to know the movers and shakers, popular places, and breaking news in your new e-community. Don't be surprised if you find people writing about you on these sites:
• Local, regional, and alternative newspapers
• The local chamber of commerce
• Community colleges and universities - and particularly departments that supply employees
• Minority business and professional groups
• City and county government
• Geographical industry and business neighbors
• The town's most popular bloggers
• The school system
• Local career centers