Always Listen to Your Blogger

Everyone is very familiar with the saying, "always listen to your mother". In my case, that advice has always tended to come in handy. Therefore, I am extending the same advice to companies, with a slight twist on words. Just as important it is for one to listen to their mother, it is important for companies to listen to bloggers.
As of Jan. 2008, 120 newspapers have gone out of business (sm lecture notes). Less and less people are watching the news and more and more people are turning to online sources. The blogosphere has had an incredible launch in the last year with thousands of people blogging on an array of topics. Recently, I started to realize how much of the content bloggers wrote about concerned businesses and were reviews about their products and services. And, why should this concern businesses? Well, bloggers are part of something called social media (if you are reading this, then you are all too familiar with what social media is). Reminded by my social media prof., social implies interaction. It is for this very reason that companies should listen to bloggers.
If there is negative press about a company (not social media), the press only reaches the people who watch a certain news channel or read a certain magazine. Most of the time, companies are able to get a wind of news stories and interject the bad press. Companies keep close relations with journalists which also help them track certain news stories and come up with a crisis response, the instant it is needed. The blogosphere is different. Once a story is posted, it can be reached by millions of people in a number of seconds. The story is free and available to anyone who can get granted access to the internet. If something negative is written about a company, then that news is picked up by another blogger. This blogger also spreads the news or the news is spread by a person who reads the blog and then posts in on another social media site for someone else to read. Again, social implies interaction. In a matter of second, negativity about an organization is moving through the internet and reaching millions like wildfire.
With that being said, I think it is essential for a company to hire a team of people dedicated to tracking and responding to what is said in the blogosphere. This way negative press does not have the ability to spread across the internet and if it does, a company is aware of it and able to respond immediately. Furthermore, if a company is not aware of what is being said, then they are not able to respond. This could look like ignorance. On the other hand, if a company is aware and responds, then they look active and are given an advantage over other companies. And that is why companies should listen to bloggers.

The High Profiler

The high profiler...who is he/she? Well, the high profiler (according to me) is the employee who is not only an asset to a company but a public figure head as well. He/she makes public appearances, is well know in the community, and attracts a lot of media attention. So what happens if this said high profiler does something to attract negative attention to themself and ultimately the company they work for?
Scenario: high profiler has been arrested (use your imagination) and released. He is too important to fire but the media is all over the situation and what happened. Now the company has a decision to make: confront the media and try to "PR" the situation or turn a blind eye and let the whole thing blow over.
Think about what you would do if you were that company. If I were in charge of human resources or the public relations department, I would confront the situation head on. Since the employee is an important figure head, his/her reputation is going to affect the company. The media is going to look to the company for a response, even though they had nothing to do with the situation. However, questions like, "has this behavior been typical of him/her" "where does his/her future lie" etc. will never go away. The company could develop a bad reputation if they do not take responsibility and address the situation. The company needs to explain why the high profiler is still with the company, what are the consequences for his/her actions internally, what will he/she be doing to make it up to the public (e.g. volunteer work, etc), and an assurance that it will never happen again. While this may seem like a lot, a company needs to realize that what an employee does outside of work can affect them and they need to be ready with a response!
On the other hand, even if the company decided to fire this high profiler, they still should have a response prepared for the media/public. It is the professional thing to do.

Do you agree? Thoughts? What would you do if you were the aforementioned company?

The Online Advantage

Last week, I talked about the importance of presenting yourself well online. However, I mostly covered the question regarding employers and how much of your personal info online should be available to them. This week, I want to talk about the following: how individuals who have more of an online presence (not just Facebook/Twitter) increase their chances of getting a job.
Originally, I thought an online presence could impact a person negatively. But then two weeks ago, I had an interview for a summer internship. As you may have guessed, I was put at an advantage becuase I had an online presence and was knowledgeable of social media ...I got the job!!!! I started to realize that an online presence did not necessarily mean Facebook or Twitter (while those are still good sites to become familiar with). I realized that it meant blogs, LinkedIn, Flickr, vlogs, podcasts, personal websites, etc. Nowadays, so much is done online that it is really important that a company hires someone who can research and work both off and online. Also, an employer has a better chance of becoming familiar with who you are and what kind of work you do by the online presence you have created. This way you can spend time during an interview expanding on your strengths and background, since a company already has a taste for who you are. Furthermore, if a company likes what you are online, then a company will probably like you in person as well. I definitely thinks this creates an advantage for someone over someone who does not have an online presence and just sends in a resume for an employeer to look at.
Lastly, as I mentioned above, social media is becoming even more critical to all organizations. There is a difference between being knowledgeable about social media or being knowledgeable about social media and actually utilizing social media. Do you think an employer is interested in someone who can just spit out facts about social media or actually has experience with it. Therefore, if you have Facebook and Twitter-great start! However, I highly encourage that you start exploring other social media applications and get your name out there! I promise, it will pay off!

Privacy, Jobs, & the Internet

Last week in my Social Media & PR class, a classmate raised an interesting question: how much personal information online should organization's be able to access? Where does looking for info on a potential candidate cross the line into invading their privacy?
Ever since class, I have been re-visiting the question. Like many others, I too have Facebook, Twitter, this blog, and some other internet apps. While I do not share personal information on Facebook or fill out the summary about myself, I do like to post pictures and share them with friends and family who do not live close by. Now, I do not have any explicit pictures or pictures that show me doing anything inappropriate or illegal, but there is the occasional album that captures the previous night out on town. However, I learned that even the presence of beer in any of your pictures can deter a potential employer from considering you for a position.
At first, I did not think this was fair. If I wanted to take a picture of me and my good friend, I should not have to tell them to put the beer down. Furthermore, if I am holding a beer, that could be the only beer I had for the night. I am of age, so it should be ok ...right? Wrong. After giving more thought to the situation, I realized that I do not have to post these pictures on Facebook for the world and potential employers to see. Anything on the internet cannot be considered private and once you post it, it is fair game. The privacy settings are there to make you feel comfortable against unwanted attention from strangers, not potential employers. The privacy settings are really only for your safety. It's not like I can't enjoy the pictures if they are not on Facebook. Therefore, I do understand that an employer is not crossing the line when looking for all and any personal information about a potential candidate.
Furthermore, wherever we are, it is important to present yourself in a way you would want others to see you. If I believe that the presence of beer bottles in my picture is deceiving about who I am, then I should not post them on the internet. How I present myself in an interview is how I should present myself online as well. So, next time you want to tweet something or post something questionable on an internet app., think twice. You probably do not want a potential employer seeing it and you probably do not want to create that kind of personal brand for yourself anyway. Yes, it might be annoying to have to watch what you say and post, but it is the internet. What goes on the internet, never stays private and never ever leaves the internet.

Tiger

As most of you are aware, Tiger Woods has made most of the news stories in the sports world lately. Due to a recent car crash and rumors of infidelity, Tiger has had some monumental questions to answer. Being in the spotlight as much as Tiger is, it was important that he was able to let the public/fans know what was going on and fill them in on what was happening with him and his career. Luckily for Tiger, he probably had a PR rep or two to advise him on the best way to address the public.
This brings me to the topic of my blogpost today: Tiger's PR team...the question being: was there anything Tiger's PR team should have done different or better?
If you ask me, I think Tiger should have been advised more by PR reps to get his face out in the public after his accident and accusations. Tiger has only made 1 or 2 appearances since everything happened over a month ago. During that time, people had a million questions for Tiger but he was nowhere to be found. While I feel bad for Tiger because his personal business is his personal business, he does have a duty to his fans as well. Knowing that he was going to be in the spotlight, Tiger should have addressed any questions immediately and honestly. However, at least he seemed sincere when he finally made the public apology.
Looking to the future, hopefully, any PR advisors he has are more ready to push him to face the public whenever they need him with his return to the upcoming Masters. This time he should be advised to let the public know what they can expect from him in the Masters and in the future. After that, like all good gossip, things will probably calm down for Tiger.

Organizations & Social Networking Sites

The internet can be a great outlet for organizations. As we have discussed in previous posts, organizations can utilize company blogs, make podcasts, vlog, and use message forms to listen to their consumers. Recently, I have noticed an emergence of organizations on social networking sites (i.e. Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter). However, I question how opportunisitic these sites are for organizations and if these sites are more beneficial for one organization over another.
First, I can understand why organizations use Twitter. The ability to constantly update a post gives an organization an ability to let consumers know what they are doing. However, I have a harder time understanding why organizations use Facebook and MySpace. These social networking sites were originally created for student use only. An individual could use these sites to stay connected with friends, make new ones, post pictures, and share information. The functions these social networking sites provide are the same functions organizations can utilize on their website. The only difference: organizations cannot actively try and create a following like they can on Facebook and MySpace...which brings me to the answer of my second question.
As I just mentioned, social networking sites appeal to organizations because they allow them to try and create a following. And, despite what I did just mention, I do believe that social networking sites can be more beneficial for some organizations over others. For example, the Lupus foundation has successfully utilized social networking sites to raise awareness and money. The NFL also allows teams to have Facebook sites and fans are able to visit their team page and recieve the information they want. But, these organizations have an advantage because they already have a large following! People want to be part of a charity on Facebook so they can donate and where there is football there will always be fans.
Therefore, my advice would be: if you have a large following already, then go ahead and use social networking sites. If not, create a following on other internet applications and then move to Facebook or MySpace. And, as I always say...no matter what the internet application, always tailor the site for the consumers and give them what they want.

The Dual Power of the Podcast

Podcasts: voice messages created, sometimes accompanied by video, for some sort of purpose. Maybe you want to talk to an audience that is dispersed over a large geographical area or create a series of podcasts to put online for any viewer's entertainment. Whatever the reason, more and more people are podcasting and it has even been learned to be utilized by more and more organizations today.
I think podcasts are a great way for organizations to send a message to their target consumer base. A podcast can be aired on the radio, listened to on the computer, or downloaded to some device and listened to while on the go. A company can create a series of podcasts to create a launch for new products that are going to be coming out. A company can also create a series of podcasts that may answer frequently asked questions or gives out information about an organization. A podcast is great because people are given a choice. Instead of having to navigate a company's website or make a phone call, a consumer can get a one-on-one feel with an employee and hopefully the podcasts provides them with a direct answer.
In order to ensure that direct answers can be given an organization needs to make sure that they think about everything a consumer would want to hear. It is important to listen to what customers have said in the past in order to provide valuable information and feedback on podcasts. Otherwise, the audience is being talked at instead of talked to.
Podcasts have also been used in organizations to keep employees in the loop. My neighbor works at IBM and he informed me that employees are given podcasts about new products that are coming out and they listen to these podcasts in their cars on the way to work. Not only is the message informative and a great way to engage employees, it gives employees something to do on their way to work. This might not be their choice of car company but I think it's a good idea!
So overall, podcasts can be used by anyone...even organizations (aka dual power)! If you want to create one whether you work for an organization or want to for fun...here is my advice:
1. Make it interesting
2. Think of everything the audience would ask you if you were podcasting in public and make sure to cover it
3. If creating a series, keep the audience wanting more
Finally...
4. If working for an organization, make sure the information is valuable and informative
Thank you and Good Luck!!