The Social Media Movement - W4R

The Rules are Changing

The power of social media continues to grow.  Consumers frequently blog about their likes and dislikes of products, therefore, it is imperative that companies realize the power that social media holds.  They are better to use the technology to their advantage and embrace it.  The control of information has shifted from the manufacturer to the consumer so companies need to participate or else they may be hurt by the change.

In chapter 1 of Groundswelling, the authors discuss the importance of companies joining the social media movement.  I found it interesting that GM’s vice chairman of product development, Bob Lutz, recognized early on that he could use social media as a way to reach the masses and get their honest feedback on the GM products.  He knew that the information would be invaluable to improving things at the company.  I also admired the fact that he was in his seventies and was open to learning and using new technology.  It reinforced for me the fact that social media sites and blogs are user friendly, and anyone can do it.

As the books states, Lutz’s blogging did not solve all of GM’s problems.  We know that GM has continued to have financial challenges, however, blogging allowed an open dialogue for people that the company could use for their own benefit.  They could learn what they were doing wrong, what was working, and how they were perceived by consumers.

I visited one of the sites that Lutz started, fastlane.gmblogs.com, and noticed that it is filled with lots of social media mediums.  The site has videos, blogs, flickr, twitter, delicious and facebook links.  GM has definitely embraced the social media revolution.  There is an excessive amount of information available to anyone interested in learning about GM and their products.

GM is just one company using social media marketing to their advantage.  It is an inexpensive way to get the word out.  There is, however, the risk of negative feedback, but there is also an opportunity to respond much more quickly. 

Groundswell by Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff

Groundswelling provides data to support the participation in social media sites in the U.S. and throughout the world.  It leaves little question about the importance of this medium to people everywhere.  I think authors Li and Bernoff do a good job at explaining the many aspects of social media as it exists in society today.  Groundswelling is easy-to-read and comprehend.  They give real-life examples which allow readers to relate the concepts that they have just read.  I’m looking forward to reading more!