Social network sites changing corporate communications
Regina Emery
Issue date: 11/11/09 Section: Campus News
The time we college students spend each day on Facebook may one day pay off, according to communication director for the Memphis Zoo Brian Carter.
The recent UTM alumn spoke to students during last Wednesday's career fair. His presentation, "Putting Social Media to Work," showcased how social media sites such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter are changing the way corporate America communicates.
"If you're not already an administrator on a Facebook page or hold a Twitter account, you need to be doing that now," Carter advised. "Even the largest corporations need social media methods-not only for marketing and sales but also as a way of communication," Carter said.
For example, SeaWorld's mascot Shamu currently has 7,100 Twitter followers. To maintain the account, they have actually hired a communications specialist with the sole task of "tweeting" regularly. So why does Shamu have so many followers? As Carter explains, it's because SeaWorld has learned the art of social media. Rather than make status updates that simply advertise SeaWorld, Shamu's tweets are crafted with an entertainment approach.
"SeaWorld has found a way to connect to people and keep Shamu on their mind without making it look like marketing," said Carter. Other companies have tried using social networking as another medium for marketing, but those ventures almost always are unsuccessful, Carter said.
Years ago, the Memphis Zoo developed a YouTube channel featuring a campaign of commercials aimed at promoting upcoming events. Despite some amazingly creative concepts, it didn't work. Why?
"There is definitely a right way to do it," says Carter. "Don't make it marketing-make it social."
Since then, the Memphis Zoo has redeveloped their website to be much more interactive. The result? TripAdvisor, a consumer-driven online tourism tool, named them the No. 1 zoo in the country as voted on by travelers.
So what else can social media networking do for companies that traditional marketing methods cannot?
The recent UTM alumn spoke to students during last Wednesday's career fair. His presentation, "Putting Social Media to Work," showcased how social media sites such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter are changing the way corporate America communicates.
"If you're not already an administrator on a Facebook page or hold a Twitter account, you need to be doing that now," Carter advised. "Even the largest corporations need social media methods-not only for marketing and sales but also as a way of communication," Carter said.
For example, SeaWorld's mascot Shamu currently has 7,100 Twitter followers. To maintain the account, they have actually hired a communications specialist with the sole task of "tweeting" regularly. So why does Shamu have so many followers? As Carter explains, it's because SeaWorld has learned the art of social media. Rather than make status updates that simply advertise SeaWorld, Shamu's tweets are crafted with an entertainment approach.
"SeaWorld has found a way to connect to people and keep Shamu on their mind without making it look like marketing," said Carter. Other companies have tried using social networking as another medium for marketing, but those ventures almost always are unsuccessful, Carter said.
Years ago, the Memphis Zoo developed a YouTube channel featuring a campaign of commercials aimed at promoting upcoming events. Despite some amazingly creative concepts, it didn't work. Why?
"There is definitely a right way to do it," says Carter. "Don't make it marketing-make it social."
Since then, the Memphis Zoo has redeveloped their website to be much more interactive. The result? TripAdvisor, a consumer-driven online tourism tool, named them the No. 1 zoo in the country as voted on by travelers.
So what else can social media networking do for companies that traditional marketing methods cannot?
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