Social media provides both risks and rewards for businesses. It allows for greater global connectivity and new ways of innovating and sharing ideas. However, it also blurs personal and professional lines as employees represent their companies through social media. While social media adoption is high, many companies do not have policies governing its use. Whether the economy improves or worsens, social media investment and importance will continue growing over the next five years. Businesses need to become familiar with social media tools and how to use them for communications, customer service, and branding.

1. Social Media
Risk or Reward?
Jason Moriber
Jason@wiseelephant.com
Blog: http://elefant.tv

2. Risk or Reward?
1. What is Social Media?
Interactive, collaborative, and participatory
software that "lives" online
2. What is its purpose?
To digitally replicate, replace, and amplify
your communications routines and tasks

3. Social Media
is not Web 2.0,
but not yet 3.0
It's Web 2.5
(halfway to 3.0)

4. Activity is Digital/Online:
(multi-faceted)
- Social Networks (Facebook, MySpace)
- Business Networks (LinkedIn, Plaxo)
- "Social Media" (Twitter, Blogs, Video)
- Collaboration (Google Docs)
- Project Management (Basecamp)

5. What are the effects?
- Greater global connectivity
- New anchors of industry
- Increased Innovation
- Ideation, Invention
- High rates of adoption…
"everybody is doing it"

6. It all sounds good.
So what's the problem?
Recent stats illustrate the wave:
Social Media websites have
surpassed Company websites
as the main source for information
ABOUT THAT COMPANY
(Omniture via Julian Bradder)

7. It all sounds good.
So what's the problem?
PEOPLE HAVE THE CONTROL
EMPLOYEES
ARE THE MESSENGERS

8. It all sounds good.
So what's the problem?
48% of small companies and 39% of
large companies recognize the need to
have a Social Media policy but don’t
have one.
Only 33% of large companies have a
social media policy.
(Omniture via Julian Bradder)

9. It all sounds good.
So what's the problem?
Social Media is now at
an 80% adoption rate
in the US
(Forrester via Tac Anderson)

10. It all sounds good.
So what's the problem?
One of two things are going to happen with the economy:
1. Things will get worse. Companies will continue to cut
traditional marketing and increasing their spend in lower-
cost Social Media
2. The economy will recover, new smart spending,
accelerating the flow of money from traditional to
Social Media
Either way the next 5 years are going to be defined by the
new levels of Social Media investment
(Tac Anderson from his blog)

11. What does Social Media
involvement mean for me?
- Transparency
- Listening and reacting
- Fostering conversations
- Business/Personal lines are blurred*

12. Business/Personal lines
are blurred...
Why?
Social Media is designed on a
history, and built for the future, of
the trusted, individual voice:
YOURS

13. Example: Deloitte, via Twitter
Employee: Suzy Tonini,
Manager, Member Firm Online Communications
Followers: 3057, Follows: 1078
Deloitte (global)
Followers: 1619, Follows: 8
Deloitte (us)
Followers: 975, Follows: 4

14. Within Social Media...
- You are your own personal BRAND
and
- A representative of your company
- People want to hear YOUR voice,
learn of your experience
- Be very careful! Filter Filter Filter

15. Social Media...
It’s not Marketing, it’s..
- Communications
- Customer Service
- Branding

16. Risk or Reward?
1. What does Social Media mean to me?
Burgeoning communication tools that you
NEED to become familiar with, if not be using
2. What is its purpose?
- To propel and amplify your voice
- Foster direct discussion
- Enable stronger connections

17. Contact me anytime:
jason@wiseelephant.com
twitter: @jelefant
phone: 317.802.1570