5 ways social media can change your business

November 5 2009, 8:25am

When I first encountered Twitter during a presentation during the last year of my education in the field of public relations, I have to admit that I wasn’t sure how short status updates were going to change how the world does business and connects with others. In a recent social media case study by Michael Hyatt of Thomas Nelson Publishers, the company accounts for the ways in which a mere presence on the microblogging site has changed the perception of its consumers. Through preparation for a discussion by Hyatt at an event sponsored by Vanderbilt’s Owen Graduate School of Business, Hyatt asked his own Twitter followers to explain their experiences with his company in this space and catelogued five specific impacts to his brand. 1. Visibility With the thousands of people who are on Twitter and other social networking sites, the visibility of most companies is easily increased in their marketplace. 2. Personality Social media puts a face on a company which makes it seem more real and personable. It is easier to connect with real people than an organization. 3. Connectivity This platform allows consumers to connect with brands that they may have been unable to beforehand. Consumers now feel as if they are a part of the brand. 4. Loyalty Being more aware of a brand encourages consumers to actively seek you out; developing a relationship between brand and consumer. 5. Leadership Social media can be a scary space, however brands that are embracing it seem to be pushing ahead as thought leaders in their respective markets. Social media offers brands, companies and consumers many benefits. While this may be one specific case study it is easy to see how these concepts transcend multiple segments.