How social media can work for business, part 2
by Peter Pincetl
Social media—and how to use it. In Part 2 we present five whitepapers that provide more details on what that exactly means.
- A Primer in Social Media by Eric Karjaluoto (smashLAB, March 2008)
A strong introduction to social media with examples of successful and unsuccessful uses and suggestions on how to apply them to your own company. Includes an extensive bibliography. - The Coming Change in Social Media Business Applications by Josh Gordon (socialmediatoday)
First social media was used for general business communication. But now uses are shifting towards consumer engagement. Survey data confirms the trend. And applications of Twitter and social networking are outlined later in the article. - Social Media: The Case for Online Engagement (dna13 Inc., 2009)
(Requires free registration) Social media is a powerful tool for reputation management. Case studies of McDonald’s, MasterCard, and JetBlue demonstrate how each has used this tool successfully. Social media lets your company reach a large audience at low costs and a unified company message. - Social Networking: An Age Neutral Commodity by Dick Shroud (October 2007)
Social networking is relevant to all age groups and consumer types . Here you will read about the fundamentals, a history, and why social networking is now so prominent. The author concludes with some speculation on where social networking is going and how marketers should use it. - Social Media Marketing Industry Report by Michael A. Stelzner (March 2009)
A comprehensive study on how marketers are using social media to grow and promote their businesses. It is stuffed with data and graphs to make sense of recent trends and answer questions.
 Peter Pincetl is the Prialto 2009 Social Media Intern.
How social media can work for business
by Peter Pincetl
Social media for business—the greatest thing since sliced bread or just so much hype? Here are six articles to help executives address this question.
- Social Media: A Business Marketer’s Guide by Dan Morrison (iMedia Connection, March 30, 2007)
Marketing professionals should ask four key questions to determine whether social media will improve performance: (1) what portion of content is user generated, (2) is user generated content high quality, (3) will existing online campaigns work, and (4) how do sites help target demographics? - Smart Social Networking For Your Small Business by Frederic Paul (Forbes, June 5, 2009)
Here is a handy cheat sheet that shows how to use social networking in a small business. It covers where the networking takes place, different applications of it, some dos and don’ts, and other key points. - Four Ways Social Networking Can Build Business by Jake Swearingen (Bnet.com)
Profiles of four professionals who use social networking in the following ways: (1) unexpected collaborators, (2) a place to start building a global business, (3) finding talent, and (4) cheap viral marketing. Readers’ comments are encouraging and prove that these are viable options. - Are Social Networking Sites Useful for Business? by Karen E. Klein (BusinessWeek, August 6, 2008)
Social networking sites can be useful, but you should tool them to fit your business. Explore the different sites and select the ones that best fit your uses. Several different sites can be use with the effort, such as posting a video on YouTube and then publicizing it on Facebook and Twitter. Another plus side to joining social networks: a higher profile for your company on search engines. - Social Networking Goes Professional by Jessica E. Vascellaro (Wall Street Journal, August 28, 2007)
Professional social networking is growing, especially for information exchange and recruitment. A drawback is the ease with which new members can fraudulently identify themselves. Professional social networking sites are attempting to prevent this through referrals and credentials checks. - Social Media Good for Businesses by Richard Pachter (Miami Herald, June 8, 2009)
Social networking tools have evolved into near essentials in the business world. Three books help better understand the subject: The Social Media Bible: Tactics Tools and Strategies for Business Success by Lon Safko and David Brake; Facebook Me! by David Awl; and The Twitter Book by Sarah Milstein.
Share your ideas
Got ideas for incorporating social media with the Prialto community? Leave a comment; we would love to hear about it.
Peter Pincetl is the Prialto 2009 Social Media Intern.