1. Social Media: the Wild West of Corporate Communications Professor Ralph Tench and Dr Brian Jones Leeds Business School Leeds Metropolitan University 26-28 th October 2011

2. How do businesses and corporate communication professionals manage CSR messages in an unruly, largely unregulated social media environment? Key question

3. Social Media  Changing lives  Co-creation  Changing business  Old (media) world, new world  Web 2.0 and corporate messaging  EU communication directors survey findings  Re-thinking communication strategies

4. Core Argument We argue that the creation of value is in part determined by the co-creation of message. Co- creation of message lies at the heart of social media.

5.  Amalgam: podcasts, wikis, twitter, social network sites  Web 2.0 user generated content (OECD, 2007)  Co-creation, collaboration  Changing business and society  Downsides (OECD, 2007): - inclusion, security, privacy, cultural fragmentation Social media context

6. The world of social media Social media WikisBlogs Social networks Podcasts Mail groups News groups Forums and chatrooms

7. Communicating CSR  A redrawing of the rules for communicating CSR and Corporate Social Irresponsibility  How a company’s CSR offering is perceived and the image their audience has is not only shaped by their communication efforts, it is in part a product of social media online conversations

8. Voices, views and opinions  User generated comment is a key element of the communication mix  Social media allows a company’s stakeholders to co- create brand image and reputation  Risks have to be managed

9. Growth of On-line communication

10. On-line communities

11. Social media guidelines and monitoring tools

12. Governance structures for social media

13. Private use of social media

14.  Social media is used to challenge as well as defend CSR activities  Scope for communication professionals to make more use of social media  Social media is about participation, involvement and co-ownership of CSR messages. Findings and observations

15.  A good online CSR reputation can potentially strengthen corporate image and reputation, and add value and competitive advantage to the business  New empowered audience of clued up customers and 24/7 online writers and activists produce news content  Poses real challenge to companies in general and in particular to communication professionals and PR departments Findings and observations

16. Which direction are we travelling?

17. Summary: Wild West of social media Effective online CSR reputation management can with a degree of certainty be asserted to be about community conversation, participation and collaboration.  Quasi social interactive chaos  Ideas and opportunities emerge  Communities of interest