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

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

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

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.

 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

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

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

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

Growth of On-line communication

On-line communities

Social media guidelines and monitoring tools

Governance structures for social media

Private use of social media

 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

 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

Which direction are we travelling?

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