#itsafact—@Twitter has taken over. After nearly five years of existence, Twitter has become something more than an outlet for celebs to talk about the fabulous lives they lead, or a platform for political activists and citizen journalists around the world.
Today, big companies are eager to become involved. And in the process they’re creating a whole new occupation for techno-savvy workers.
“It’s transforming the way we do business,” said Arik Flanders, social media program manager and Internet marketing program manager for Texas Instruments.
Platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Flickr allow businesses the chance to connect with their audiences on a deeper level. No longer limited by television commercials and radio ads, advertising is a two-way dialogue. Businesses are eager to bridge the digital divide. More and more jobs are being created to help older companies adapt to newer technology.
It’s not all fun and games, however. Social media jobs require an open mind, creativity, and thick skin.
“It takes a lot of maturity to speak on behalf of a brand,” said Neiman Marcus Social Media Managing Editor Jean Scheidnes. “Especially to handle the criticism and customer service issues that may arise.”
The ability to write well is also a must according to Scheidnes. Conversational skills, a strong work ethic and a sense of urgency are necessary to work in the social media field.
“To get involved in the social media space, you really have to enjoy it,” Flanders said. “You’ve got to enjoy the tools and be an early adaptor to technology.”
In the past, push marketing was the go-to strategy among elite businesses. Companies decided what products consumers needed to buy and when they needed to buy them.
Today, this isn’t the case. Social media has created a two-way communication channel, one that helps consumers find their voice.
“Now that consumers have a way to talk to you as a business, you better be listening,” said Cynthia Smoot, marketing strategist and social media director for Gangway Advertising in Dallas.
It’s not just about creating a dialogue.
Social Media helps companies boost their search optimization, giving more attention to their brand. Google recently created a search engine powered by social media recommendations. Google Social Search helps users discover relevant content from social media connections. Through Twitter followers, Facebook links and favored blogs, Google recommends things of interest based on things users already like.
“Social media has a one to one relationship,” Flanders said. “Google is constantly changing their algorithms, but they always index pages that are constantly updated.”
Five years ago, Twitter didn’t exist and Facebook was mostly used among college students as a way to connect with their friends and classmates.
Today, Facebook has more than 500 million active users and Twitter reported in April 2010 that new users are signing up at the rate of 300,000 per day.
“It’s the meeting place for almost everybody now,” said Veronica Torres, director of social media and community relations for the Dallas convention and visitors bureau.
According to a study released in April 2010 by Twitter, 37 percent of Twitter’s active users use their phone to tweet. Facebook has also become mobile. There are more than 250 million active users currently accessing Facebook through their mobile devices, according to the company.
Social media has gone beyond a hobby; it’s an obsession. Businesses are now seeing mobile customers as a prime target for advertising.
“Last year I think it was only 20 percent of Americans had a smart phone and next year it’s going to be 50 percent,” said Colin Hogan, digital strategist for The Richards Group in Dallas and an SMU graduate. “Companies want to build mobile applications.”
In April 2010, Facebook launched social plugins, which allow users to see what their friends have liked, commented on or shared on sites across the web. Since then, an average of 10,000 new websites have integrated with Facebook.
But businesses are utilizing more than just Facebook and Twitter. Large companies and corporations are now establishing themselves in the blogging world as well.
“It helps us spread the word about everything Neiman Marcus has to offer,” said Scheidnes of the Neiman Marcus blog, NMdaily. “It helps us reach people who might not otherwise receive communication from us.”
Texas Instruments has 16 active blogs. Employees receive training on the dos and don’ts of blogging in order to represent the company in the best possible light.
“We really try to drive engagement, because engagement is what drives relationships, which ultimately drives sales,” Flanders said.
PaperCity Magazine, a lifestyle publication, is new to Twitter. The Dallas office is still trying to find its way with social media, but knows that it’s essential to the future of its business.
“It’s almost like one part editorial, one part advertising, and one part marketing,” said Christina Geyer, assistant editor of PaperCity Magazine Dallas.
Scheidnes of Neiman Marcus said that while social media is a great tool for business communication and a burgeoning new profession, it’s not always easy.
“It’s a lot of work,” she said.
