1. Social Media for Business Communication
Chapter 8
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2. Chapter Overview Characteristics of the Social Age
Effective communication with blogs, wikis, and forums
Blogs for external communication
Online reputation
Ethical use of social media
Chapter overview
Characteristics of the Social Age
Effective communication with blogs, wikis, and forums
Blogs for external communication
Online reputation
Ethical use of social media
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3. Learning Objectives
LO8.1 Explain characteristics of the emerging Social Age. LO8.2 Use blogs, wikis, forums, and other social tools for effective communication within organizations. LO8.3 Create blogs for effective external communications. LO8.4 Build a credible online reputation. LO8.5 Describe the ethical use of social media for work.
LO8.1 Explain characteristics of the emerging Social Age.
LO8.2 Use blogs, wikis, forums, and other social tools for effective communication within organizations.
LO8.3 Create blogs for effective external communications.
LO8.4 Build a credible online reputation.
LO8.5 Describe the ethical use of social media for work.
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4. The Evolving Workplace
Many relatively inexpensive, Internet-based communication tools used in business—social networking, blogs, wikis, discussion forums—are driving profound changes in
how people connect and collaborate in the workplace. These changes are so profound that workplace culture is moving into a new era: from the Information Age to the
Social Age (see Figure 8.1 ).
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5. Communicating in the Workplace in the Social Age
an era in which people engage in networked communication, collaborate across boundaries, and solve problems communally.
The Social Age is an era in which people engage in networked communication, collaborate across boundaries, and solve problems communally. However, even though the communication technologies that have paved the way for the Social Age are changing rapidly (in months and years), workplace culture is relatively slow to change (in years and decades).
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6. Characteristics of the Social Age
Web 1.0
most Web pages were read-only and static
Web 2.0
read-write Web, where users interact extensively with Web pages—authoring content, expressing opinions, and customizing and editing Web content among other things
The evolution of the Internet during the past 15 years from Web 1.0 to Web 2.0 platforms is the primary driver of the Social Age. In the original Internet, referred to as
Web 1.0, most Web pages were read-only and static. As the Internet evolved, referred to as Web 2.0, what emerged was the read-write Web, where users interact extensively
with Web pages—authoring content, expressing opinions, and customizing and editing Web content among other things.
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7. Comparisons Between User 1.0 and User 2.0
User 1.0 refers to an individual who primarily uses and prefers Web 1.0 tools, whereas User 2.0 refers to an individual who primarily uses and prefers Web 2.0 tools
(see Table 8.1 ).
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8. Characteristics of the Social Age
Increasingly, companies are adopting social networking platforms that contain Web 2.0 communication tools
These platforms contain many of the features available on social networking websites: user profiles, microblogs, blogs, wikis, and file uploading.
Increasingly, companies are adopting social networking platforms that contain Web 2.0 communication tools (also called enterprise social software and Enterprise
2.0 ) in the workplace. These platforms contain many of the features available on social networking websites: user profiles, microblogs, blogs, wikis, and file uploading.
They often include a variety of other communication and collaboration tools as well, including online audio and video calls, shared work spaces, calendars, and private
messaging (or ) systems.
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9. Benefits and Challenges of Social Media in the Workplace
The emerging work culture associated with the Social Age presents many benefits to companies and business professionals in the context of team and networked communication (see Table 8.2 ).
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10. Using Social Media Tools for Communication within Organizations
Organize Your Dashboard to Control Your Communication and Information Flow
Create a Complete and Professional Profile
Use Blogs for Team Communication
Use Wikis for Team Communication
Use Forums to Discuss Ideas
Other Social Media Tools
In this section, we briefly touch on several of the social software tools you can expect to use in the workplace: user profiles, blogs, wikis, and discussion forums (usually
simply called forums). We focus on these tools for a few reasons. They are among the most widely used and most effective social tools, and they involve significant written
communication.
Organize Your Dashboard to Control Your Communication and Information Flow
Create a Complete and Professional Profile
Use Blogs for Team Communication
Use Wikis for Team Communication
Use Forums to Discuss Ideas
Other Social Media Tools
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11. Return on Investment for Internal Social Media
In Table 8.3, you can see results of a study by IBM about returns on investment from social media. You will notice that social networking (with user profiles as the foundation for establishing connections), blogs and wikis are among the most valuable social tools in terms of productivity gains, reduction in IT costs, and increase in revenues.
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12. Organize Your Dashboard to Control Your Communication and Information Flow
Nearly all social software systems contain a dashboard, your front page when you log in to the system, which operates as your communication hub.
In most cases, you can customize the dashboard to display the features that most interest you.
Nearly all social software systems contain a dashboard, your front page when you log in to the system, which operates as your communication hub. In most cases, you can
customize the dashboard to display the features that most interest you. Think about setting up your dashboard to access messages and information that will help you work
efficiently and avoid distractions.
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13. Sample Dashboard with Enterprise Social Software
For example, notice Figure 8.2, which shows Andrea Garcia’s dashboard. She displays status updates of other team members so she can see what they are working on. She also wants to know how often other team members are using the social software (upper-right panel), and she subscribes to a business news service (lower-right panel).
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14. Use Blogs for Team Communication
Microblogs (such as Twitter)
shorter blogs that contain just a few sentences, are part of most enterprise social networking platforms
tools for broadcasting announcements and urgent information
Blogs are posts that are arranged chronologically, similar to a journal format. Traditionally, most blogs have included entries by just one or a few individuals, although many provide the option for reader comments.
Microblogs (such as Twitter), shorter blogs that contain just a few sentences, are part of most enterprise social networking platforms. Microblogs are tools for broadcasting
announcements and urgent information. Members of a network can also use them to ask questions that need immediate responses.
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15. Use Blogs for Team Communication
Team blogs
typically organized around formal work teams, and
Project blogs
organized around particular projects that generally involve temporary teams.
Organizations are increasingly using team blogs and project blogs (many-to-many communication). Team blogs are typically organized around formal work teams, and
project blogs are organized around particular projects that generally involve temporary teams. Team and project blogs are excellent ways to place all of the team’s
communications in a single place, such as updates, progress reports, problem-solving discussions, project timelines and goals, announcements, and a variety of other coordination tasks.
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16. Sample Team Blog
A short example of a team blog is provided in Figure 8.3, where the Prestigio marketing team is describing and coordinating activities.
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17. Use Wikis for Team Communication
collections of pages that anyone with approved access can edit, thus lending themselves to collaborative writing.
allow employees to collaborate and participate in decision making more easily, creatively, and effectively
create a culture of transparency, simplicity, and openness
Wikis are collections of pages that anyone with approved access can edit, thus lending themselves to collaborative writing. Users can add, remove, and change content. Wikis allow employees to collaborate and participate in decision making more easily, creatively, and effectively. They create a culture of transparency, simplicity, and openness.
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18. Sample Wiki in Edit Mode
An example of a wiki in editing mode is provided in Figure 8.4 , where Kip Yamada is directly editing a survey report that Jeff Anderton originally set up and posted.
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19. Use Forums to Discuss Ideas
Avoid leading posts
Avoid ignoring competing points of views
Avoid strong, rigid language
Avoid complaining
Avoid blaming
Avoid off-topic points
Avoid excessively short or lengthy posts
Avoid sarcasm
Generally, you should help your teams avoid the following actions that hinder productive team communication:
Avoid leading posts
Avoid ignoring competing points of views
Avoid strong, rigid language
Avoid complaining
Avoid blaming
Avoid off-topic points
Avoid excessively short or lengthy posts
Avoid sarcasm
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20. Using Forums to Improve Team Productivity
Read your peers’ comments completely and carefully
State the purpose of the forum clearly
Use flexible, open, and inviting language
Build on the ideas of others and pose questions
Show appreciation for your teammates and their ideas
You can use a variety of strategies to make forums effective ways for your teams to produce better work. Consider the following strategies:
Read your peers’ comments completely and carefully
State the purpose of the forum clearly
Use flexible, open, and inviting language
Build on the ideas of others and pose questions
Show appreciation for your teammates and their ideas
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21. Using Forums to Improve Team Productivity
Participate often
Meet in real time for touchy points
Summarize and, as appropriate, identify next steps
Talk with your team about ways to make forums help your decision making and coordination
Also consider the following:
Participate often
Meet in real time for touchy points
Summarize and, as appropriate, identify next steps
Talk with your team about ways to make forums help your decision making and coordination
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22. Forum Examples
Figure 8.5 displays an abbreviated discussion forum that is not effective.
In the effective forum in Figure 8.6, you can see that the forum subject is posed as a clear, specific question.
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23. Write Posts for Your Organization
The primary goal of blogs for organizations is effective public relations (PR)
PR is fundamentally about building relationships with employees, customers, communities, the media, and other stakeholders
A primary goal of building these relationships is to improve corporate reputation or credibility.
The primary goal of blogs for organizations is effective public relations (PR). Traditionally, PR was viewed as media relations, and the primary vehicles for PR messages were press releases. In other words, PR is fundamentally about building relationships with employees, customers, communities, the media, and other stakeholders. A primary goal of building these relationships is to improve corporate reputation or credibility.
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24. Corporate Reputation Corporate reputation
an intangible asset that allows the company to better manage the expectations and needs of its various stakeholders, creating differentiation and barriers vis-à-vis its competitors
the intellectual, emotional and behavioral response as to whether or not the communications and actions of an organization resonate with their needs and interests
A primary goal of building these relationships is to improve corporate reputation or credibility. Elliot Schreiber, one of the foremost authorities on public relations, recently
defined corporate reputation on the Institute for Public Relations website:
From the perspective of the organization, reputation is an intangible asset that allows the company to better manage the expectations and needs of its various stakeholders, creating differentiation and barriers vis-à-vis its competitors. From the perspective of stakeholders, reputation is the intellectual, emotional and behavioral response as to whether or not the communications and actions of an organization resonate with their needs and interests
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25. A Press-Release Style Blog Post
Typically, minor PR announcements are just 100 to 300 words, and major announcements are generally 500 to 800 words. You can see an example of this type of blog post in Figure 8.7.
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26. An Op-Ed Style Blog Post
Now, however, the op-ed style is common on corporate blogs, where business leaders can regularly share their opinions and experiences. You can see an example of this type of op-ed in Figure 8.8.
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27. Guidelines for Using Social Media in the Workplace
Be an Active Contributor and Participate Often
Listen and Learn
Focus on Content
Make Your Content Accessible
Make Your Messages Authentic and Friendly
Be Responsive and Help Others
Respect Boundaries
Many communication tools fall under the social media platform. Generally, you can apply the following advice to any of them:
Be an Active Contributor and Participate Often
Listen and Learn
Focus on Content
Make Your Content Accessible
Make Your Messages Authentic and Friendly
Be Responsive and Help Others
Respect Boundaries
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28. Managing Your Online Reputation
Personal brand
A unique set of professional skills and attributes that others associate with you
Think carefully about developing a personal brand in a professional sense—a unique set of professional skills and attributes that others associate with you. In the final chapter of this book, when we turn to job applications, we discuss the notion of promoting your personal brand in more detail
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29. Developing a Credible Online Reputation
Take a few minutes to think about Table 8.4. You will notice a variety of positive meta messages and related reputations. You can see that these meta messages and reputations are grouped into four areas: personal and private; professional and private; personal and public; and professional and public. In each domain of your online communications, you should think about the meta messages you would like to send so that you build a credible reputation.
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30. Use Social Media Ethically
Much more than your online reputation is at stake with social media use; the reputation and performance of your company is at stake as well
The line between what you believe is private use of social media and your role as an employee can be murky, since your private actions can damage your employer and hurt your career.
As these various examples illustrate, much more than your online reputation is at stake with social media use; the reputation and performance of your company is at stake as well. The line between what you believe is private use of social media and your role as an employee can be murky, since your private actions can damage your employer and hurt your career. In short, constantly try to understand evolving norms for social media use in a professional context. For your own protection and that of your company, become familiar with your company’s acceptable-use policies for social networking websites
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31. Example of Social Media Guidelines
Coca-Cola recently compiled a set of social media guidelines (see Figure 8.13). Notice the principles of appropriate social media use.
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32. Chapter Takeaways Characteristics of the Social Age
Effective communication with blogs, wikis, and forums
Blogs for external communication
Online reputation
Ethical use of social media
Chapter takeaways
Characteristics of the Social Age
Effective communication with blogs, wikis, and forums
Blogs for external communication
Online reputation
Ethical use of social media
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