Saturday, October 11, 2008
Livingston Gives Students Lesson on Social Networking
By Alison Bilbo
Facebook, Myspace, Twitter -- all just ways to keep in contact with friends … right?
Not according to Geoff Livingston.
Called the “local blogging guru” by The Washington Post, Livingston was welcomed by VCU for Mass Comm Week on Thursday to give students insight on social media and the world of public relations.
“Everyone is basically walking around with a Guttenberg Press in their hands,” Livingston said.
Livingston compared cell phones to the Guttenberg Press in the ability to reach the masses. Being able to reach thousands of people with just a click -- with a cell phone or computer.
Livingston demonstrated this theory by sending out a Twitter message to his about “2,500 followers." Livingston asked them what he should be telling the students he was speaking to. Within seconds people were replying to his post.
It’s a “fantastically powerful tool,” Livingston said, referring to Twitter.
Almost all the responses Livingston received contained one central idea: You must understand what public relations is and to understand your stakeholder.
There are three ways Livingston said companies get their brands to stakeholders:
-Verbally (oral or print).
-Visually (logos, advertisements).
-Experience.
Stakeholders are getting brand information from many different sources. Corporate communications must have a strategy to figure out which way is the best for getting to their stakeholders.
Some companies take a "one size fits all" approach -- and that is a common mistake, Livingston said. Using social media is not for every brand; trying to reach retired Baby Boomers through Facebook just won’t work, Livingston said.
In the case of the Save Darfur Facebook group, one of Livingston Communications clients, it is able to reach people within that network and raise awareness about the cause. “Building value” is what Livingston said has to be done in order for social media to work.
Livingston defined the social media brand by:
-Search engines.
-New influentials.
-Customer conversation.
-Real product experience.
These are all ways to reach the stakeholders through social media.
One type of customer conversation is blogging. Livingston gave the example of Nikon giving out free cameras to a few bloggers. This started an uproar in the blogging communities; some bloggers asked why they didn’t get a camera and said it was unfair.
“Jealous bloggers,” Livingston said, helped Nikon spark people to want their cameras. Nikon is now the most popular camera among bloggers.
These bloggers were socially engaged in their network, which is something Livingston likes to see in people. One concern brought up about social networks is how they affect employers' decisions.
“Your reputation is online,” Livingston said. He said he has chosen not to hire people based on what he saw on their Facebooks. He said he will do as much of a background check on potential employees as he can.
“I would encourage you to be you, but be smart about it. Don’t hang your dirty laundry out there.” Livingston said.
Just as companies are learning how to effectively use social media, so are people all over the world; so that it can be used as the powerful tool it is.
# posted by Alison Bilbo @ 6:05 AM 
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