Social Media Usage in the Corporate World

Over the past two months I have been working closely with Valentina Rosa, founder and CEO of TRA360, as a Social Media Strategist. After working overseas in Australia and writing my senior thesis on social media usage among brands across the world, I have developed a passion for helping businesses utilize social media to their benefit. The invention of social networking channels such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn have re-connected billions of people across the world and has created an entire new space of two-way communication. Skype is great for video chatting, Facebook establishes and builds relationships with friends and family, and Twitter is an outlet for micro blogging; but what do these outlets mean for businesses and building up a brand?

Social media, if used correctly and maintained constantly, can connect a brand with their targeted audience and customers, generate interest and increase website traffic. First, a company must identify who they are aiming to target. What type of demographics do your customers have? I am a firm believer that nearly every company, despite the industry, can benefit from social media in one way or another. Personally, I prefer to stick to Twitter, Facebook and blogging for corporate purposes. Of course that’s not to say if a client wants to establish video content, why not create a YouTube channel or Flickr for photo content? Knowing how to reach your customers is essential in social media marketing for a brand. By establishing these social media outlets you are becoming the voice of your brand; the thought leader of your specific industry. Give people a reason to visit your Facebook, blog, Twitter, etc. By continuously updating a brand’s social media on a daily or bi-daily basis, you are showing people that your brand has something to say that followers or fans could gain something from. Creating user generated content and using strategies like campaigns, promotions or contests will allow your customers to interact with your brand on a personal level. Social media is about establishing and fostering relationships with current clients, the general public, and even other businesses.

As a sphere that is constantly evolving and never static, brands need to distinguish themselves from their competition. By giving the cyberworld a reason to care about your brand, more overall interest will be generated. Social media has the power to help boost a brand’s image, reputation and overall credibility. Stay tuned for more blog, Twitter and video content from TRA360!