Corporate communication has changed fairly significantly since the advent of the internet. Corporate presence in general has changed a lot. In my own days growing up, television news and newspapers were where you would learn about companies, through articles or press releases. Corporations were large and faceless, and that was what people expected.
The internet has brought us entirely new expectations. Web sites give us immediate access to a wealth of information on a company. Issues that might have been hushed up, ignored by the press, or simply not noticed can now spread like wildfire as concerned internet citizens share, discuss, and polarize each other. What once would have been barely a blip now can quickly become a huge public relations challenge demanding a response.
Along with this, has come the expectation that a company is more than an entity, but is rather a collection of individuals. If your company makes a mistake, the world wants to know how it happened, who it was, and what will be done about it. This is just as true of good outcomes. The public expects to see real people, and wants to connect personally.
Witness how the White House now has a public photo stream on Flickr and videos on a YouTube channel. We are given sometimes intimate glimpses of the president and those around him like never before.
Look at how Microsoft now has hundreds of blogs from individuals throughout the company. Microsoft has their people talking at conferences – even Linux and Apple events! Microsoft isn’t just a corporate building somewhere, but rather a company with real people with real opinions and a genuine interest in seeing their products and technologies succeed.
So what does this have to do with social networking? Well, if your company has considered getting into social networking but isn’t sure if it’s right, or where to start, stop planning and start doing! Create groups on Facebook, accounts on Twitter, photos on Flickr, videos on YouTube, and blogs on your web site. This is how people relate to your company. The days of slick corporate videos are dwindling. Someone chatting to a camera from their desk is perfectly acceptable. Blogging about the challenges of a getting a new product through regulatory scrutiny makes delays acceptable. Posting micro-updates on Twitter or Facebook keeps people interested in-between the press releases and makes people feel more invested in a company.
Of course all of this comes with some risk. It’s this risk that makes people think twice about all of this openness in the first place! People posting hate messages in comments, swear words, spam, or just calling your company out for a wrong (perceived or real) are all very possible outcomes of an open presence.
Does this mean it’s not worth the risk? Not by a long shot! In some cases, you may need to moderate comments. You might allow flagging so you can delete abusive comments. Maybe you just turn off comments in some cases. This shouldn’t be the norm though. The most popular companies encourage collaboration and discussion among their customers/users. Use this new avenue. Perhaps you will learn the top issues that need addressing. Take the opportunity to right wrongs when possible. All of this only serves to strengthen your perception. Of course I’m assuming you’re an honest company with little to hide in the first place!
I’ve seen computer software companies become more responsive than ever in the last few years. More frequent pre-releases, interviews, and requests for comments all work together to get early feedback so a final product serves the largest possible audience and is a good fit for the most people.
There is much untapped potential for openness in many companies right now. It’s not just computer software companies that serve to benefit. Sending out product samples to select people, getting them talking, and fine-tuning before a general release can get the hype started and create a better final product. A focus group is great for face-to-face interaction, but it’s so limited in scope compared to the audience available across the internet.
The days of a faceless corporation being the expectation are nearing an end. You need to connect with your customers and the public. Listen to and encourage feedback. Not only will you build up brand loyalty, but you’ll benefit from better input than any focus group can provide.
