6
2010
Should your company be using Social Media?
An article by 
This is an excerpt from my free, downloadable book Should your company be using Social Media?
You can download the book from here. Please feel free to distribute, RT and share with your network!
INTRODUCTION
Social Media allows people to talk and discuss things online. One of those things that will possibly be discussed is your company, and its products. The premise therefore is simple: if you want to be part of that discussion, so that you are not just being talked about, but are actually talking with, then you need to start embracing social media.
It has almost become a cliche to mention, at this point, that the conversation about your company will happen whether you are or are not actually part of it. I tend to disagree with that. Yes, if you are one of the four banks, or an airline, or a major retailer then South Africans will definitely talk online about you in both positive and negative terms. But if you are a smaller business, or one with a very small niche market, with narrow reach, then unless you are absolutely exemplary or absolutely pathetic, the chances are that conversations about you will not carry much impact. At least, not unless you start getting seriously involved in them.
So that leaves a South African company in a curious position. Because the online penetration and adoptation rate by older generations is so much greater in the US, the conventional wisdom there is that companies must be active online, and must engage their customers in regular conversations. That is probably true. But in South Africa, there is no must about it. It is up to you, as company or brand owner to figure out whether such a conversation is worth the time and expense that it will carry.
The answer is not clear cut.
Although I will be the first to say that a good online strategy will almost definitely be an effective way to drive business, I have seen (many) local companies who have had plentiful resources to throw at social media fail miserably in their endeavours. The truth is that you need more than just a positive attitude towards social media to make it work. At the very least you need knowledge, dedication and the right people to drive its success.
Undoubtedly, the pressure is on for South African businesses and their brands to establish a strong online presence for themselves. Since you are reading this book, I assume that you too are interested in initiating or strengthening your online strategy. You’d be smart to feel nervous and apprehensive. No one really has all the answers, and mistakes can be expensive both financially and reputation-wise. On the other hand, get it right and you could be reaping the benefits only dreamed of by your competition.
This book is meant to answer your question of whether the online presence of your company or brand should be passive or active. The passive approach implies a static website that offers basic information to your customers. There is nothing wrong with that, and sometimes it is the better choice. The active approach is the one that is getting all the buzz: it means creating a presence that is reactive, dynamic and never stagnant.
Part of the trick in getting it right is making sure that you have all the necessary information so you yourself can evaluate the viability of investing time and money in the web. And that information should be as “local” as possible, since our online space in South Africa and our online audience is vastly different from that of our other English speaking friends. Our adaptation and interaction differs, and therefore so should your strategy.
That’s what this book is for. It presents the facts, and the options for a successful online presence. It also highlights the pitfalls and the dangers. It is my sincere belief that after reading the book you will realise that every company in South Africa:
Needs to be online
Need to be online with a strategy
Needs to find its own acceptable level of online presence penetration
Or, in other words, I hope that after reading this book you will have a good idea of what kind of online strategy your company should follow. Whether you decide to implement it in-house or outsource it, you will be entering the space from a position of strength, and knowledge on your side.
There is another huge benefit to you having this knowledge: you will not be taken in by overpriced “gurus” and “experts” who are simply out to fleece you. I see it often. Because this is a complex space, and no one really wants to look ignorant, companies are happy to just hand off thousands of Rands to others, trusting them to do a good job. At best, this works well, but often times it is an absolute disaster. A well cited example is Durban’s R6 million Rand website that did not run on all browsers. On the other side of the coin are companies who think they can do it all themselves…this too has often proven foolish.
To read more, please download the full book here.
