Companies and Social Media

As I continue to read Real-Time Marketing & PR by David Meerman Scott, the use of social media with employees has been brought to attention.  Some companies are not permitting employees to engage in social media and often block these type of sites.  Companies are worried that employees will harm the reputation of the company or spend their time on the Internet instead of doing their job.  These are definitely valid concerns for a company.  Once something is posted, other people will be able to read and respond to the comment.  If an employee is expressing hatred toward a company, the company doesn’t want to have to respond and deal with the media involved with it.

I don’t think companies should prohibit social media for its employees.  I think it should be quite the opposite.  With proper guidance, I think employees should have the option to blog, use Twitter, or another social media site.  Companies should set guidelines on what is appropriate, and utilize this real-time communication to its advantage.  One guideline expressed throughout the reading was writing in singular first-person.  This way the viewer can understand that what you post online is your personal viewpoint, not that of the entire company.  Consumers are looking to social media for new innovations and information about a company.  Not allowing employees to participate in the process limits what a consumer can see, possibly discouraging their future business.

Overall, companies need to use social media to its advantage in this technological age.  Without it, businesses may lose their competitive edge in the market.  By setting guidelines and creating an official to handle social media affairs, companies can utilize social media effectively.  This way employees know what is expected of them if they do chose to participate in these channels.  Social media is growing rapidly, and everyone must be aware of what they post and how it can affect them individually.  However, using it properly can benefit companies in the end.