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Is Social Media for everyone?
Clever use of social media tools such as Blogs, Facebook, Youtube and Twitter can create value for organisations in many ways. From simple research and monitoring of consumer sentiment, to improving customer service and building a tribe of passionate fans, these online tools can help you get closer to more of your customers. But should every brand get closer to their customers? More importantly, do customers want to be closer to every brand?
I caught up on Friday with Steve Pask, Web Manager Marketing & Communications at Worksafe Victoria who believes that Social Media is not always for everyone. Steve believes that Social Media can be a great tool for companies who have a group of followers that are genuinely interested in their product, or to help set the record straight if bloggers get their facts wrong, but it’s not always the best option for brand marketing purposes.
At Worksafe Steve has been looking at social media for a quite a while and trying to work out the role it could play in their marketing mix. Would enough people really want to follow and interact with Worksafe on a daily basis? As important as workplace safety is, does the return warrant the investment required to properly execute a broad social media strategy? For a company like WorkSafe, more traditional forms of media may be more effective. Eg. 
We agreed however that there could be a role for bringing together groups such as the 6-8,000 ‘Return to work’ co-ordinators who reside in different companies right across Victoria. These guys do important work and could really benefit from sharing their experience and knowledge. An online forum hosted by Worksafe might be a great way to bring them together, improving their skills and enabling them to feel more connected.
Whatever the role of Social Media in your organisation it should simply be an enabler of natural forces rather than a forced conversation.
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Steve’s concern that people may not want to ‘interact’ with Worksafe on a daily basis is well founded. However there may be a less frequent need or opportunity to have a dialogue with companies over new legislation, heightened awareness of what not to do, what to do etc.
I don’t know enough about the Worksafe relationship with individuals within companies but its probably worth the effort to discover what they might find useful rather than second guess that no one will want to talk to you.
I would agree and disagree.
Worksafe is all about getting people to talk about safety, bring it to the forefront and get people engaged in a somewhat boring but important issue. How is this different from most NGOs who have had success in using social media for their efforts of awareness and fundraising?
Without knowing the specifics of the organisation or the objectives (*disclaimer*), I could think of several ways in which social media could play a role in workplace safety and education.
Some examples could be:
- a community for OH&S managers/co-ordinators, in which they can share experiences and provide each other guidance and advice, all empowered through worksafe training information.
- an anonymous but public place for airing workplace issues. “I am worried about x & y – what should i do? – worksafe could then encourage or counsel the best course of action to address issues in an environment that is low risk for employees or business owners.
- Could create a worksafe linkedin rating system, where employers who pass inspections or following appropriate procedures receive a stamp/badge of approval, signaling their commitment to workplace safety to current and future colleagues.
While these are tactical rather than strategic ideas, the underpinning problem I tend to have with statements of ‘not seeing a place for social media’ is that such opinions tend to be informed by a narrow view of what social media is, or could mean for a company.
Great topic Mudge. I believe every brand can benefit from having a conversation with people. The solution might not be as easy as making an ad (can someone measure the impact of worksafe’s latest TV ad?) How about having a place where injured employees can talk with each other? what kind of brand recognition/real help will this create? There are plenty of ways worksafe can use social tools but at the moment they’re paying the price of inaction.
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