Comments on: Who owns social media?

By: Ellie Lovell

Ellie Lovell — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 22:02:10 +0000

Brilliant – this is just along the lines that I have been thinking recently for a CIPR Diploma project.

I am interested in exploring the relationship between ‘branding’ – traditionally the tool of marketers (although I note your ‘brand’ segment is nowhere near marketing) and ‘reputation’ – the concern of public relations. You go one (or two) further than this bringing in HR etc which is really interesting and some great food for thought.

I expect I will be referencing you in my project ; ) Have you got any more info you can share on this?

Thanks Will

By: Will McInnes

Will McInnes — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 15:45:42 +0000

I agree with the direction you’re going in jezmondo, but that wasn’t what I was asking and thinking about.

This question was with a ‘inside a big company’ perspective – a better way of phrasing it would’ve been ‘who should take overall primary responsibility for handling communications with people in social spaces online’, but it would’ve been a bit long-winded.

But you’re right, so amen and all that.

By: jezmondo

jezmondo — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 13:43:08 +0000

I OWN SOCIAL MEDIA. JEZMONDO

And so do you. We all do. So all of us, and none of us.

Every time we attach ourselves to a piece of social currency and choose to feature it, we own it. Especially if it’s open source.

so if you want to buy social media, just make us all an offer.

By: Greg Cannon

Greg Cannon — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 10:30:53 +0000

Companies can establish the communications medium and manage the media, but would be fools to try and own either. Individuals are unlikely to own or manage anything more than their own contributions.

By: Who “Owns” Social Media? | Gino Cosme

Who “Owns” Social Media? | Gino Cosme — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 22:20:37 +0000

[...] my opinion while internally everyone can take responsibility for it, social media should be “owned” by corporate communications and should operate [...]

By: Helen Aspell

Helen Aspell — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 21:20:11 +0000

I’m not sure it’s a question of who ‘owns’ social media. I believe the point is that it cannot be owned by any part of the company, it’s owned by the consumers both users and contributors: a deliberate distinction based on value.

For me, it’s more who is involved in deciding which media to use, where that responsibility lies for successful implementation and most importantly how the company behaves in that space and what it’s trying to achieve. And that, I contend is directly linked to the structure and attitude of the company as a whole.

The real challenge social media poses is at a corporate level; it goes to the heart of what type of business you are. Successful participation and dialogue that has meaning can only work in a company flat line, cross teams, and where product expertise is considered as important and valuable as expertise derived by ‘rank’ and where decision making is taken in a collective manner. If a company’s attitude and approach is top down instead of an approach based on dialogue, engagement and involvement of staff then I think the chances of successfully harnessing social media are limited.

To finish and before my marketing colleagues get upset I believe all the above should be reflected in the brand. And in my book that makes us responsible for providing the specialist advice on how the technologies are utilised, driving its consideration and embedding an understanding of its potential through the company. It doesn’t, however, make us the right people to answer the questions or be the public face in these spaces.