CHARLESTON, S.C. -- With social media becoming more and more popular, concern is rising over what it means for businesses. For those struggling to develop a social-media action plan, William Tincup said start by being yourself.
Speaking at a gathering for human-resource software provider PeopleMatter, Charleston, S.C., Tincup said companies are often "rudderless" with social media. They're sure where to start or what the return on investment will be.
"Let's start by saying there's no right or wrong," he told the group of about 50 people at the mid-winter gathering for the company. "I'm skeptical of someone who calls themselves a social-media guru, because there's still a lot to be discovered. I call myself a student of social media."
The Dallas-Fort Worth area consultant said people have to "be comfortable" with what they're doing, understand where that comfort level is and "factor that in."
Of course, a proper analysis of audience characteristics and what content will attract that audience are critical pieces of the puzzle, as is knowledge of the social-media tools that have gained traction.
So if the person in charge of a business' social-media strategy finds that a specific type of video content is appealing to his or her audience, then that person must decide if self-producing that video is within his or her comfort zone. If not, then it may be something to outsource.
Coming from a human-resources background, Tincup said that companies are always interested in how to communicate with their employees and if social media is a good tool. An advocate for the use of social media in general, he said that companies have to discover what's best for their time, resources and culture.
Tincup is a human resources consultant with an entrepreneurial background in software-solutions marketing. He has experience in recruitment strategies, benefits education, recognition-communication strategies and internal-branding communication. He also hosts an Internet radio show that discusses human-resources topics.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a CSP member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.