Social Media Policy and Risks

Social Media Policy and Risks            

            The use of social media has drastically altered how business is conducted. In the operations management industry, social media has changed how employees are trained. Additionally, social media has changed how communication is conducted between employees. Specifically, Facebook and links sent on twitter are now utilized to train employees and even managers in the operations management industry. This approach is effective as it does not require the company to send out large training books. The use of social media also allows employees to hold discussions and communicate with executives. For example, Facebook discussions are routinely utilized to address issues or transmit information to managers. In the past, an executive may have had to visit a store, make notes, and take months to formulate new guidelines. However, the use of social media allows changes and enhancements to be sent out to employees within days. The operations management industry also utilizes social media to obtain feedback regarding new processes or services that are implemented. Typically, Facebook is used by employees and managers to send recommendations and comments to executives. This information is then incorporated into the development of processes in order to improve the company.

Several companies and individuals have blogs, Facebook, twitter, etc. In order to successfully operate social media accounts, there are best practices that should be followed. According to Jason Rich, a contributor for the Entrepreneur Press, the six strategies for a successful blog are (Rich, 2014):

1. Clearly define audience and ensure to market to the audience
2. The content and topic of the blog should be unique and dynamic
3. Content on the blog should be updated frequently
4. Interactive discussions should be incorporated into the blog
5. Promotion should consist of various marketing strategies
6. The design of the blog should be professional, organized, and attractive

References

Rich, J. (2014). 6 Strategies for Launching a Successful Blog. Entrepreneur Press. Retrieved October 31, 2014, from http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/232478

Social Marketing Brands and Risk

Social media is changing the manner in which business is conducted. Essentially, social media offers businesses a range of benefits such as increased consumer engagement, cost-effective marketing, etc. Despite the numerous benefits, there are challenges that may be encountered with taking a brand social. In the operations management industry, organization, communication, and clear objectives are essential. However, one challenge of taking the brand social will be integrating social media into the business (Donston-Miller, 2012). It will be diffcult to decide what component of the business to incorporate social media. Additionally, since social media effects every business function challenges may arise regarding communication and collaboration between departments.
A second challenge will be identifying the key metrics that should be incorporated into the social media strategy (Donston-Miller, 2012). The company must succesfully identify the important performance metrics in order for social media to enhance the business. An important component in the operations management industry is security and data protection. Ensuring that the company’s information is secure and risks are reduced will be essential. Futhermore, the company must also prepare for risks pertaining to negative social media campaigns.
Not taking the brand social also has associated risks and challenges. Without social media, it may be diffcult for the company to communicate with consumers and quickly send information. For example, if the brand is being criticized it will be important that the company quickly responds. Not taking the brand social will mean that the company is unable to directly engage and interact with consumers. A lack of interaction may cause the company to miss out on opportunities to increase the brand image and engage target consumers (Donston-Miller, 2012). It is important to consider that social media consists of millions of users worldwide. Thus, without a social media presence the company is unable to exploit cost-effective promotion and networking.

Refernces
Donston-Miller, D. (2012). 3 Big Social Business Implementation Challenges – InformationWeek. InformationWeek. Retrieved October 25, 2014, from http://www.informationweek.com/3-big-social-business-implementation-challenges/d/d-id/1107347

Third Post: Hubspot Blogging

With the rate of evolution that is experienced in the present-day marketplace, it is prudent for corporations to adopt in ways that match the consumer trends to sustain their relevance. The availability of mobile social media applications opens more possibilities for businesses. Hubspot blogging, which is tailored for business, is a flexible social media tool that allows entrepreneurs to target diverse consumer bases with the advertisement messages. In an era that mobile applications emerge daily, the flexibility in Hubspot blogging enables corporations to configure the published information on individual mobile social media platforms. The configured data are used by the organization to edit and add the relevant details on a particular web links to suit the market needs as per the prevailing consumers’ responses.
Posts that are made on Facebook, Twitter, Google plus, Instagram and emails, among others, are configured in the blogging software to inform further actions on the websites. Because it is natural for the consumers to follow the social media posts while expressing their actual feelings through comments and requirements about particular products’ messages, Hubspot blogging becomes an important marketing device. By permitting the marketing staff to design the subsequent web pages to address the learnt consumer concerns, the organization incorporates useful messages in a timely manner. To guard against unethical marketing, organizational employees are required to observe the existing ethical boundaries and policies. In using the data from the consumers to pursue predefined organizational aims, bloggers are allowed to incorporate appealing marketing criteria but retaining the original products’ claims remain core.
With its customizability, Hubspot blogging software facilitates the organization to recommend further actions to consumers on their individual social media applications. Due to the friendly prompts that are sent to the consumers’ mobile devices, organizations can convert the social media users to quality leads. Objective application of data from the individual social media tools has aided brand penetration in non-traditional consumer niches. Besides organizing campaigns and assigning tasks, the Hubspot blogging generates diverse analytics that are used to measure particular effects, which have resulted from certain mobile social media actions.

The Rise of Social Commerce: Delta

The Rise of Social Commerce: Delta

            Social commerce is a relatively new phenomenon in marketing within businesses. Delta, like any other company operating in the 21^st century, has managed to integrate social media within the organization for purposes of marketing. It has therefore developed a Facebook page to meet the interests of different clients and also to have an interactive forum with them. This was a move to meet the needs of group travel. Through the Facebook page, travelers could incorporate personal connections in their travel plan. Delta has managed to rethink travel through innovative strategies based on social media inclusion in the company’s marketing. Other ideas incorporated include Facebook rewards, groups, international connections and leverage partnerships. Delta is also following a number of trends: universal identification, intersecting interest and social graphs, tying the like button to the open innovation networks, social search, virtual currency and a 2-D barcode.

Social technologies are slowly merging with e-commerce, social commerce and m-commerce (Hajli, 2014). In the age of social commerce, social buying is now possible and the social experience has been enhanced. Shopping and purchase of goods and products or services need to be social. Delta has a strategy to embrace full benefits of this evolution in marketing and commerce. The company has managed to use social technologies, in this case Facebook, to redesign experiences from the perspective of the buyer. The company has built more accurate and actual processes in inventory management, quality of information, transparency and return policies in their operations with the help of social commerce. Today, online buyers search on websites for their products and the syndicated reviews for the products available. Therefore, shopping has been redefined by evolution. Online presence and social commerce is the new marketing strategy for new and existing companies. Traditional marketing tactics have been sidelined and outdated. Although still common, they cannot compare to the power of social commerce as presented by social commerce.

References

Hajli, M. (2014). A study of the impact of social media on consumers. International

Journal Of Market Research, 56(3), 387-404. Doi: 10.2501/IJMR-2014-025

Social media in learning institutions

Social Media Tool

Social media in learning institutions
The need of higher education in the society is on the rise and more people want to access the education at relatively a fair cost. Institutions are identifying that they have to have ways to attract new customers to their services. This is by providing necessary information regarding highlights of how they handle their customers. Initially, it was important that learning institutions access different print media to reach to their potential customers, but this has relatively changed with increased use of social media. Use of print media involved mainly newspaper which was expensive and less reliable as compared to the social media. The common tools line social media include twitter and Facebook which are used together by various institutions.
Facebook which have a significant number of subscribers have been considered as more reliable in reaching the customers. Through Facebook, the customers are able to access the details of the institutions and engage directly with the school management. This makes it possible for the management to respond to questions and concerns of the customers. Twitter further reinforces this by ensuring that customers are given a platform to respond to issues raised by the institutions. The re-tweet of a message or a statement is able to show the institution approximately the number of people following their tweets. It is also possible to get feedback on tweeted information, which helps the institution improve service delivery. Use of both Facebook land Tweeter as social media tools increases the interaction of learning institutions with their customers. This builds increased loyalty and institutions are able to handle problems of their customers as they arise. Institutions which are using the identified social media tools have increased competitive advantage over their competitors.