How Gen-Y is Leading Social Media: 3 Easy Ways to Learn by Example
Like most college students, I am on Facebook and Twitter all the time. During class, the majority of the students have their laptops open to Facebook, looking at pictures, status updates, and comments while posting on other people’s walls and venting about how dull the professor is. Facebook and other social media websites are a kind of therapy for some people and they use it to release and share their emotions with the mindset that since it is their personal website, there will not be any consequences. But what if I vent about a company I work for? We have all heard of employees getting fired because they said that they hate their job on their Facebook or did inappropriate things on their company websites. Companies are hesitant to engage in social media because they do not want their employees saying any negative things about them on social media sites since it can lead to decreased sales, lost trust, and damaged brand image.
We are already a decade into the 21st century, and social media and websites are becoming a daily part of our lives as more and more people use it. It is not just for Gen-Y anymore, but for businesses also. By not using social media as part of the company strategy, a company will miss many great opportunities such as finding out more about their customers and competitors. As Gen-Y slowly overtakes the workplace, they may be seen as more naive than the older generations, but we can learn a few ways in how they use social media to benefit a company.
- Following others. This means following what your fans, followers, and friends are doing, also known as "stalking." “Stalking” does not literally mean pursuing someone in a stealthily or threatening way. Online "stalking" in Gen-Y terms means going to peoples' Facebooks and Twitters to easily see what other people are doing and what they are interested in. I can say from firsthand experience that you can find out so much from looking at a person’s Facebook, and companies can do the same by using social media sites to see what their customers are into, trends that are happening, what their competitors are doing, and what others are saying about them.
- Showing who you are. Social media sites help show what kind of person you are and what your personality is. Everything from the pictures to the info box to your status updates show aspects of your personality, whether it is funny, witty, or inspiring. The whole website influence what others think of you, and companies should incorporate all aspects of their brand image into everything they do, including social media. This is a chance for many people to see what your company is like and to give others a look into who you are and what your brand represents and believes in.
- Sharing what you know. There would be no point for having a social media site if you did not want to share something with others such as posting those breathtaking pictures from vacation or telling your friends a new restaurant you are trying tonight. Companies can take this one step further and share industry news, special promotions, interesting facts about themselves, and advice in their industry. This is a way for the company to form relationships with their customers.
The bottom line is that companies should not be afraid to use social media since it will benefit the business in many ways. If your company has not started using social media or has been hesitant about it, I encourage you to start embracing it and start "stalking."
Blogpost by Olivia Cheng
Follow me at twitter.com/EvvivaIntern and tell me what you think about social media in the workplace.
Posted on 29 July 2010 by Evviva Intern
There are 1 comments relating to this blog post.
Sheng H. says:29 July 2010 at 18:22:12
I agree. Companies large and small need to keep their ears to the ground in order to understand their customers' changing demands. Social media as the ability of making large corporations communicate like local entities and enabling your mom and pops (small businesses) to gather massive followings. It's the great equalizer of marketing in the hands of the knowledgable.
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