Social Media

"Thanks for being a part of making Facebook what it is today, and for helping to make the world more open and connected"
--Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook

Social Media outlets such as Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and YouTube are a fast-growing aspect of the Public Relations world. Reaching a large audience with the click of a mouse is a great tool for this job market. However, there are many problems associated with this social networking phenomenon. My focus in the web page is to educate students about the impact social media is making on the world, and what should and should not be posted on these social networking sites.

On such sites, posting pictures, links, and information about yourself is very common. Many employers are now checking these sites during their hiring process. You can block people from pictures and information, but there are always ways around it.

A little eye-opener about Social Media...

DidYouKnow?
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Interesting Statistics About Social Media... as reported on Socialnomics--Social Media Blog (Qualman, 2009).

1 out of 8 couples married in the U.S. last year met via social media.
If Facebook were a country, it would be the world's 4th largest.
80% of companies use LinkedIn as a primary tool to find employees.
There are over 200,000,000 blogs.

(Qualman, 2009)
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Q: Why Use Social Media in the Workplace?

A: "For the third consecutive year, the Center for Marketing Research at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth has conducted a study that
looks at the usage of social media amoung Inc. 500 companies. The 2009 results confirm that America's fastest growing private companies adopt social media
marketing initiatives at much higher rates than other companies, and that interest in social media has grown since the first study was conducted in 2007" (Schweitzer, 2009).

"From a big picture trend standpoint, these results show how prevalent and
widespread social media is becoming in every aspect of business now"
(Schweitzer, 2009).

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Now that you have seen the impact social media is making on society today, let's learn about some useful tips on what you and should not have on a website. Notre Dame law professor Patricia Bellia stated, "If someone were a member of the Notre Dame network, well, there are 20,000 people in that network. Would you ever really stand in a stadium and share that information with 20,000 people? I think that's how you really have to think about it" (Pinkerton, 2009).

Many criminals can use social media sites to track down information. Here are some items that you need to watch out for on your sites:

Home address & phone numbers
Birthdates: Identify theft can happen if the birthdate is given (your name is already posted). If you must list your birthday, leave out the year of birth and just have the month and date.
Status Updates: If you are friends with people you do not know, or have an open profile (meaning anyone can view), posting your whereabouts can make you an easy target for someone to come to your house when you are not there.

Example: Instead of posting "...at the beach for a week!" post something more along the lines of "...found a great house-sitter while I am on vacation!" to note that the house will NOT be empty.

Do not discuss valuables: Talking about the value of anything you own can attract attention to a criminal, knowing there is something worth breaking into a house for.
Anything that can be a hint to your password: If your password is something very simple--such as a pet's name or your mother's maiden name--be careful not to list that information anywhere on your page, for it makes it easier for a hacker to figure out the password.
Damaging messages about yourself or anyone else: You may have had a bad day at work or are mad at a superior or co-worker, but never post the information on a page. This looks bad on your part and if the person or someone else sees this, it will cause problems in the workplace. Keep your thought about this to yourself, rather than posting it on the Internet.

According to Dave Haan, the Director of Digital Technology for Lawrence & Schiller, there are some key suggestions for the workplace and social media:

"There is no privacy. Especially if you're using a workplace computer.
You represent your company online even if you're posting on your personal account.
If you work for a publically traded company, your tweets and blog posts can fall under SEC jurisdiction.
The FTC is proposing guidelines for online marketing.

Bottom line, if you wouldn't say it in person to your boss, you probably shouldn't say it online" (Haan, 2009).

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Mashable: The Social Media Guide published an article titled "Social Media for Business: The Dos & Don'ts of Sharing" (Evans, 2009). Evans states in the article that what you post on the Internet is a key ingredient in formatting your online personality. The main points are listed below:

1. Be transparent and authentic. Be human.-- Be aware of posting the social events in your life, such as having a bad day and then posting a Tweet about it.
2. A profile pic is worth a thousand tweets. -- The profile picture is usually the first thing one sees when viewing your page. Do not post an inappropriate picture, especially if you using a business account.
3. Leaving a legacy. -- What you post on social media sites should still reflect you in the future. Social media acts as a storage space for what you have written, and can be traced even after you have posted something new.
4. Don't be a social schizo. -- Be consistent with what you are trying to convey, especially if you are posting on multiple outlets of social media.
5. Social climbing not the best approach. -- Do not try and have friends or followers with people who have a large amount; quality rather than quantity. Choose those best fit to the message you want to send rather than to anyone you can simply find.
6. It's not a one-stop shop. -- Check out all networks of social media and see which one you are best fit to use.
7. Return on engagement. -- Check your numbers of fans, followers, friends, comments, etc. See if the message you are trying to convey is actually being read or used.

"Best advice? Don't take anyone elses's advice. You know your brand better than anyone. Learn some of the social media fundamentals, then apply and find out what works best for you" (Evans, 2009).

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Source: Haan, 2009
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Spotlight: Georgia Southern University's Barbara Nixon

Barbara Nixon, a Communication Arts professor at Georgia Southern University, presented to the university's
Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) about the wonders and uses of Twitter. Below is the link to the presentation, with notes below the slideshow.
Twitter: WII-FM Presentation

(Nixon, 2009)
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"If content is king, then conversation is queen"

--John Munsell, CEO of Bizzuka
(Cosme, 2009).

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Start your social media profile today!

Facebook.com
Twitter.com
MySpace.com
LinkedIn.com

References