These words rang like a bell in my ears during today’s Management communications class. Our facilitator, Mr Silk Ugwu Ogbu, took us through topics I found very interesting and relatable
” Leveraging public relations & social media in crisis management” and the power of “Personal branding”.
Being in the media industry, I have come to understand the power of the “media” in driving narratives, perceptions, and ideologies. Once upon a time, people thought social media was a place where young gather to connect and have fun, but over the years it has become the sole driver for media communications for individual and corporate brands.
Ignorance of the power, importance, and influence of social media can no longer be excused.
I for one, has benefited enormously from the power of social media. It has contributed significantly to driving the perception of my personal brand and how people connect + interact with me.
Several things stood out for me in today’s class, but for the purpose of this conversation i’d share my top 3 takeaways:
- Social media is a conversation going on online. This definition for very apt and concise enough for anyone to understand. On social media, everyone has the freedom to join the conversation from any part of the world. This has made the world smaller and the consumers more closely connected to their favorite brand. Of course, this freedom can come at a cost to both individuals and brands because it is not controlled, or organized and has the potential to go viral in the shortest of time.
- Becoming a customer company : Social media has changed the way companies relate with their customers hence the reason why companies must be intentional about having a communication plan crisis communication plan, to mitigate the effects of bad media on the brand should it ever occur. The real question any smart entrepreneur must be asking is “Is my company prepared for crisis in the social media world”?
- Stategy matters everywhere, especially on social media: Making the most of social media is more than just establishing a presence, but knowing the “How” to get your desired results as well as avert a possible crisis. In building the right strategy for social media, here are a few things to keep in mind: -Track Everything. – Measure everything. Participate in building relationships to increase findability, Be Authentic, and Listen. ack of Act quickly
Despite my active presence on specific social media platforms, I found that I have so must to learn and grow in this area.
