Testing the (Social) Waters
July 25th, 2008 Posted in ObservationsSocial media and social networking provide great opportunities for communicating with customers but there are risks for the unprepared
Quick nod to Valeria Maltoni and her excellent post on how does a company dip its toes in the conversation. I really liked the analogy between social media and water and thought I would share some of my observations on why social media (like water) should not be taken lightly when companies get ready to take a dip.
- There might be sharks lurking (people with some very negative opinions and comments) so you had better investigate the water you choose to enter
- The water might be too hot (too much activity) for your organization to handle, so you better stay out
- The water might be too cold (no activity at all because your customers are not active in the social space) and therefore you might be wasting your energy and sink
- The current might be fast (lots of activity and conversation) so you better have enough strength (resources) to keep up or you will go under
Finally, social spaces are like pools which are much more fun when there is activity, energy and everyone participates. No one really has good time when they sit in the corner and try not to get splashed.
Still ready for a swim? Â Jump in!
Photo credit: jsymmetry
