Social Media: It's More Than Meets the Eye

When I tell people that I am taking a class about social media I usually get laughed at. People say, “Is that actually a class?” or “What do you learn in that class: How to update your Facebook status?” The truth is I actually learn WAY more than how to update a Facebook status, the average person just doesn’t understand how complex the world of social media really is. 

This brings me to the topics covered in Chapter 7 of the book "Share This" by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations. Chapter7 focuses on how to use Facebook to effectively engage with your audience. I am an officer for an organization on campus, and because the other officers know that I am a public relations major, they put me in charge of managing the Facbook and Twitter pages for the organization. 

Being put in charge of the group’s social media pages is fine and all, but I think the other officers (like the majority of the human population) fail to recognize the work that goes in to managing a successful social media presence. 

Chapter 7 of "Share This" mentions when planning a brand’s Facebook presence you need to keep six things in mind: Audience, goals, rules, conversation strategy, content plan and operations. The book also notes as with any public relations undertaking you need evaluate the campaign. With regards to social media "Share This" says evaluation of a Facebook page should be based on conversation triggers, conversation created and conversation outcomes.

I am in no way putting fault on any of my fellow officers; however none of these logistics were taken into consideration when deciding our organization would use a Facebook and Twitter page. My point is that social media platforms are such common place for today’s generation that few people stop to consider the details and planning needed to use these platforms successfully from an organizational or business standpoint. 

The other officers in my organization don’t understand why our Facebook and Twitter pages aren’t more effective, and the truth is I can’t give them a simply answer because the answer isn’t simple at all. How do I explain to them that in order to have an effective Facebook page you have to build a community, engage with fans, amplify your message, carry out a list of strategies and then evaluate the page’s success?  

My hope is that sometime in the near future people will understand and appreciate the work of PR and social media specialists. Maybe someday those outside the field of PR will even pick up a book such as "Share This" in order to understand the technical thought process and strategic planning that actually goes into having a great social media presence.