Last week, I spoke at the Figaro Digital seminar on social media. It's always great to hear what others have to say, so here are a few of the best bits for me.
For those who still need a little convincing, we saw some compelling numbers around the adoption of social media by marketers. The rapid consideration and inclusion of social spaces in communication planning and branding is impressive. Also interesting was the number of people who feel training is a key area. It's nice to know brands recognise the importance of understanding what makes appropriate social behaviour in social media, rather than treating it like any other channel.
Tony Effik, Chair of the social media council at the IAB, captured a very simple truth that can be lost in all the noise around social media; people are still people. Some things change, other don't. In social media, we have found another form to express our basic social needs.
The Dunbar number, the magic 150, was highlighted as a phenomenon that continues to play out in social relationships.
Whilst we have the capability to reach many, do we have the capacity to maintain intimate and meaningful relationships with such large numbers? Anyone who has experimented with technology to swell followers and friends alike is probably at risk of pushing messages, rather than building relationships.
Nick Jones, Director of Interactive Services at the COI gave an interesting insight into how his clients perceive social media. As the Government's centre of excellence for marketing and communications, how this organisation approaches the opportunities presented by social media, and how it mitigates the risks, is very useful guidance for us all.
The quote from William Perrin (Policing 2.0 conference, National Policing Improvement agency) perhaps reminds us all of how our fears around social media need to be put into context?
"If you can let police walk the streets with guns, you can manage the risks of letting them use Facebook".
