When we gave a copy of the book Groundswell to our clients back in November 2008, I wouldn't exactly say that I considered it the Bible.
When my colleagues would passionately discuss the ever-changing rules of Facebook or Twitter during our staff meetings or over lunch, I'll admit sometimes I'd tune out thinking it didn’t really pertain to me and my "day to day" media relations, crisis communications and writing work at Vault. When our bona fide “social media gurus” at the agency would send out helpful and informative e-mails about a new social media tool or a new study about the best way to measure and evaluate social media campaigns, I would file them away for a rainy day.
Well, that rainy day came more quickly that I expected. One of our long-time clients asked me if I could assist them with managing their social media campaign. Since the day I received that call, I have literally immersed myself in the world of social media and have tapped into the brains of our social media experts and the resources we have here at Vault to apply the best practices from the many other clients who use our social media bandwidth. And I must admit, I am loving every minute of it …
I’m truly a social media convert (and as my colleagues can attest, the same thing happened with me and the Twilight series; I “slept” on it … and now I’m a bit obsessed). Social media is very intriguing and quite literally … can be addictive. I find myself logging onto my client’s Facebook and Twitter pages throughout the day to see what type of activity and dialogue has been spurred by our posts and comments. I find that social media is truly an extension of public relations since it is a shift in how people discover, read and share news, information and content. It’s very important that whoever manages your social media outreach knows the company inside and out. It’s not just about understanding the social media channels and tools, it’s about knowing the company’s voice and how to interact with those who have an affinity toward the brand — and those who do not.
My client is not just benefiting from my newfound “joie de vivre” for social media, but is profiting from the collective talent, experience, and results the entire agency has achieved in the social media realm. We share information, resources and best practices here to deliver superior expertise and service to our clients. After all, the sum is always greater than its parts.
Now that I have finally jumped on the bandwagon, I look forward to continuing to manage the social media landscape for my client and hopefully others to come. OK, I’m off to tweet some news, post a CEO video to the Facebook wall, and reply to a blog comment.