Do Twitter and Facebook = Corporate Sabotage?

Hello social media veterans and newbies alike. Even if you do not think that you are a social media whiz, you may be surprised to realize that you do actually use it a lot. Sites, such as Twitter and Facebook have become extremely popular over the last couple of years, especially among the younger generation.

But individuals are not the only ones who have tapped into this area. Organizations are quickly adopting social media and learning the benefits that it can bring regarding marketing, promotions and the overall management of their brand.

For many organizations, social media has changed the way they interact with their publics.  It allows for more two-way interaction , with many customers and stakeholders being able to provide feedback about products, services and the overall brand.

However, with all of the positive results that social media has to offer, there is also a dark side. The article, entitled ‘Are Twitter and Facebook evil?’ by Timothy Taylor of the Globe and Mail, examines the negative side of Facebook and Twitter. The author focuses on the negative impact that social media can have on organizations. Taylor references a study done by Dr. Shyam Sundar, which attempts to answer the question, Can there be such a thing as too much interactivity?

Results showed that the people using the most interactive sites were the most engaged with the content, but also the most likely to be critical of what they read.

While the interaction that organizations have with their public through social media is a great thing, it can also allow for those publics to spread negative ideas. If the stakeholders who are using a corporation’s social media tools decide to provide negative feedback and the organization is not able to address it in a timely manner, it could mean major problems for that organization.

I think that social media is an effective tool for organizations to interact with their stakeholders, but it requires constant attention and monitoring. If neglected, these social media tools can be more foe than friend.

To read the complete article, please visit  ‘Are Twitter and Facebook evil’.

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