November 9, 2011 
Corporate communications used to be straightforward:
- Publish a press release
- Talk to the media about it
That lead to news articles that could outline a company’s products and services for potential customers. But that model was altered by the web when companies could then provide details and additional information on their websites and then completely shattered by the social networks and the advent of online storytelling.
Information is now immediate and unfolds in real-time. Companies that hold to an old model of communicating with their customers, employees and partners will be at a distinct disadvantage in an age of smart phones and tablets and where data is available at a click of a button.
Brands can now have an audience for content that rivals traditional media channels. Take Starbucks as an example. The company has a Facebook page with more than 25 million fans. The New York Times reach on Facebook is 1.7 million.
If you’re a business how are you using social media channels? Are you building an audience of advocates? Do you have a plan for content creation and syndication?
Links:
George
Big brands are being pushed to behave more and more like media outlets. Of course, creating fresh and compelling content is one aspect of the solution and the move from the old model you described to the new model isn’t happening smoothly. But, distribution is also a big headache as the media landscape has exploded and is organized in niches (sm is a network of tribes). I also think it’s not about distribution…it’s about engagement. It’s many (brand employees) to many (niche influencers).
Laurent