Topic 8
New Media (Social
Media) in
Business
Communications
Images are from Google
Key Sources / Readings
Online Reserve Item
Thill & Bovee (2015)
Chapter 7
Crafting Messages for
Electronic & Social Media
+
Online Reserve Item
Eunson (2012)
Chapter 21
Social Media
+
Chapter 2
Learning Objectives
After studying this material, you should be able to:
1. Define new media and/or social media
2. Outline the key differences between new media and
traditional media
3. Identify various roles that new media can play in a business
communication context
4. Learn theories in new media communication
5. Be aware of techniques that can be employed to facilitate
the effective use of new media in a business context
6. Understand the advantages and disadvantages of social
media
Defining New Media
• aka Social Media and Web 2.0 Technologies
• Internet based technologies characterised by user generated
content and mobility of use / engagement
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Social Networking Sites
User Generated Content sites [UCGs]
Community Q&A Sites
Blogs
Microblogs
Newsfeeds: RSS Feeds / Media Curation Sites
Wikis
• 2003 / 2004 signals emergence of new media
Facebook Highlights 2012/13
Twitter Highlights 2012/13
LinkedIn Highlights 2012/13
YouTube Highlights 2012/13
Web 1.0 versus Web 2.0 technologies
Web 1.0
unidirectional
Web 2.0
facilitate user generated content
static
user friendly
at fixed site via PC or Laptop - no animation, interactivity and webmobility
based audio and video streaming
Wi-Fi - facilitating mobile use of
Internet via smartphones and
tablets
Contrast between Old vs New media
Feature
Traditional [old] Media
New [Social] Media
Communication flow
One-way
Two way
Participant roles
Distinct producer / consumer
split in terms of content
generation
Audience both produce and consume
content
Intellectual property
High respect for copyright
Lower regard for copyright
Technical skills required
High
Low - medium
Set-up costs
High
Low
Broadcast speed
Slow
Fast
Permanency of artefacts
Permanent
Not necessarily permanent;
Other creators can change content
Editorial control of
content
Strong - centralised
Weak – decentralised
Integrity of information sometimes
questionable
Cost to access
Availability often
commercially oriented
Content often accessible for free
without commercial focus
Eunson (2012)
Creating Content for Social Media
Informal but
not careless
It’s a
conversation!
Concise,
specific, direct
Social
media
Involvement,
engagement –
not bullying!
Transparency,
honesty,
truth, good
Think before
you
click/post!
Theory of Reasoned Looks at how behavior can change by influencing a
Action (TRA)
person’s intentions. Two main factors tell a person
whether or not to perform a behavior: (1) personal
attitudinal judgments: the evaluation of the action; and
(2) social-normative considerations: what one believes
others think they should do.
Theory of Planned Like TRA in that it states personal attitudinal judgments
Behaviour (TPB)
and social-normative considerations influence a
person’s intentions to perform a behavior.
However, TPB adds a third element: perceived
behavioral control. This element being the perception
of how easy or difficult it is to perform the behavior.
source = buffallo.uwex.edu
Social Networking Sites
• Social Networking sites such as Facebook, Google + and LinkedIn
playing an increasingly important role in business communication
• Heightened brand image
• Dissemination of information
• Engagement with customers
• Source of market intelligence
• Internal networks within firms
Using Social Networks
for Business Communication – Internally
Integrating
new
employees
Overcoming
structural
barriers
Fostering
collaboration
and
teamwork
Easing
transitions
Question: Why are some
organizations (e.g., academia)
reluctant to use social media?
Growth/
community
of practice
(CoP)
Using Social Networks
for Business Communication – Externally
Market
intelligence/
target market
Customer
support
Potential
customers/
new
employees
Business
partners
Question: What do you think of
aggressive marketing by some
organizations on social media?
Brand
socialization/
brand
communities
Strategies for Business Communication
on Social Networking Sites
Purpose,
platform,
audience
Valuable
content
Culture
Strategies
Conversations
& networks,
not otherwise
Identity
Online
presence &
community
building
User Generated Content Sites [UGCs]
A prominent
domain
Income
Training
videos/
expert
knowledge
Question: Is your content
compelling and useful?
Social
engagement
Easy to find,
consume &
share
Community Q & A Sites
• Sites where visitors [customers / company representatives] answer
questions posted by other visitors [customers / potential customers]
about a product or service.
• Becoming important venues for customer support.
• Responding to questions on Q&A sites can be a great way to;
– build your personal brand
– demonstrate your company's commitment to customer service
– counter misinformation about the company and its products
Public Behaviour on New Media/Social Media
Good Behaviour
Conscious
Bad Behaviour
Tactless, disrespectful
Conscientious
Insensitive, using derogatory
language
Sensitive
Acting exclusive or elite
Inclusive, pluralistic
Racist slurs, fake news mongering
Aware; act for what is true,
right and good
Insulting, attacking, ethnocentrism,
trolling
Theories Explaining Behaviour on Social Media
Theory
Sociopsychological
tradition of
communication theory
Theory of Reasoned
Action (TRA)
Explanation
Communication is a process of expression,
interaction and influence (manipulation)
Theory of Planned
Behaviour (TPB)
Similar to TRA but adds a third element:
perceived behavioral control (Is it easy or
difficult to perform a behaviour?)
Explains how behaviour can change by
influencing a person’s intentions: personal
attitudinal judgments and social-normative
considerations (what one believes others
think they should do)
Theories Explaining Behaviour on Social Media
Theory
Framing Theory
Agenda Setting
Theory
Symbolic
interactionism
theory
Explanation
“Frames” are defined as the way in which we
interpret media presented to us, and that these
frames function to organize social meanings (and
actions).
Mass media organizations determine what the
general population consider newsworthy by
deciding how much attention a news story
receives (salience transfer)
Society comprises symbols that people use to
establish meaning, develop views about the
world, and communicate with one another. We
are thinking beings who act according to how we
interpret signs and situations.
Microblogging
• Microblogs are a variation on Blogs in which the character count
available is capped.
• Twitter highest profile platform
– Capped at 140 characters per ‘tweet’
• Microblog messages often involve short summaries or teasers
that provide links to more information.
•
•
•
•
Providing company updates
Offering coupons and notices of special deals
Presenting short tips on product usage
Interacting with customers individually
Traits of good business microbloggers
• Communicate with personal style and an authentic voice
• Deliver new information quickly
• Discuss topics of peak interest to their audience
• Encourage their audience to join in the conversation
• Provide ‘teaser’ information that act as a hook to visit other
platforms [Facebook / blogs / website] for more information.
Source = Thill & Bovee, 2015
Twitter writing Tips
1. Omit needless words
2. Drop the use of punctuation marks
3. Be short, blunt, concise and straight to the point
4. Use well known abbreviations
▪ But avoid the use of obscure abbreviations
5. Lead with a verb
6. Restrict your message to a single tweet
Isn’t this a reality nowadays?
Podcasting
• Podcasting is the process of recording audio or video files and
distributing them online.
• Spawned by advent of the i-pod and other MP3 players
– Originally designed as a platform for downloading music
• Now also used to playback audio files of;
– Talks, speeches,
– training seminars,
– educational lectures,
– share market advice,
– interviews recorded via traditional media
Business application of Podcasting
• Alternative to information dissemination-based meetings
• Alternative to existing audio and video messages
• As a supplement to brochures facilitating product
demonstrations, visual tours.
• Presentation of short staff training packages
• Imbedded into or linked to blogs to facilitate followers being able
to view recordings from the blogger.
3 Step process for successful Podcasting
Planning
Writing
Editing
Situation, info,
material, topic
Flow/organization,
excitement,
articulation,
fluency
Omitting errors,
re-recording for
cadence & brevity
Advantages of Social Media [broad context]
Overcoming distance
Sharing of interests/openness
Connection/social bond
Self-expression
Advantages of social
media
Based on Eunson (2012)
Social Media – positive quotes
• “Social media captures collective intelligence”.
• “With social media, an individual can shift easily between the
role of audience and the role of author”.
• Activate your fans, don’t just collect them like baseball cards.”
Jay Baer, Convince & Convert
• “Social Media is about the people! Not about your business.
Provide for the people and the people will provide for you.”
Matt Goulart
• “Being yourself is the only way how to stand out in today’s
crowded market. So, what’s your story?” Magnetic Silvia, CEO
Magnetic Look
Disadvantages of Social Media [broad context]
Affecting productivity (academics)
Cyberbullying, fake news, trolling
Privacy concerns (surveillance)
Security concerns (hacking)
Disadvantages of social media