The Organizational Challenges of Social Media
Within the past five years, a wave of digital and mobile innovation has significantly transformed how enterprises and individuals connect and communicate. The continued proliferation of easy-to-use tools, ubiquitous network access, and portable devices is changing the dynamic between large-scale enterprises and small cohorts of individuals.
Metaphorically, the antennas on the hilltops (broadcast media) have been joined by the beacons in the valleys (social media). The former provide for greater reach, require greater resources, and are limited to one-way experiences. The latter reach smaller pockets of people, are much less cost-intensive, and are inherently conversational. Working in coordination, the two can create profound outcomes. A lack of coordination leads to detachment, confusion, and diminished influence.
At a fundamental level, we are witnessing a shift from a hierarchical communications system to a networked architecture. This shift poses significant challenges to those organizations not anticipating the broader shifts that are also required – culture, strategy, policy, structure, and staffing. Without accounting for all five elements, your organization will not be able to optimize its potential to communicate and advocate.
How is your organization addressing these five elements? Are these the right elements to address?
