LinkedIn Debate: Web Designers Should Provide Social Media Training
Posted on 01. Mar, 2010 by Chi-chi Ekweozor in Social Media Strategies
Friday’s blog post suggesting that social media training should be provided by web design and development companies seems to have struck a nerve on LinkedIn.
I shared a link to the article on a couple of Groups I belong to on LinkedIn and was surprised to receive a comment from Patrick Crane, VP Marketing, LinkedIn who weighed in with this on the incredibly long-titled
Social Media, Social TV, Monitoring, Mobile Social Networks, Marketing, Web 2.0, Enterprise 2.0, PR Social Media, Social TV, Monitoring, Mobile Social Networks Group on LinkedIn:
“Good article. I see the social media training industry exploding. People and companies are making decent money training on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter etc.
But I think the need for social media training goes well beyond the web design team. It can and should extend to:
- Legal
- HR
- Marketing
- Sales
- BD
- Research…at least. At LinkedIn and at many other companies, social media policies are being created. The age of “appointed spokespeople” for a company is pretty much a thing of the past. Every internal communication needs to be labeled with whether the content is tweetable, statusable etc.
Big topic. Other thoughts?” – Patrick Crane, VP Marketing, LinkedIn
“Wow Patrick, thanks for taking the time to comment on my article!
Yes, I agree that social media policy has to be set by key decision makers within an organisation.
The issue is that for many, particularly in the UK, social media is seen as new way of communicating that is both uncontrollable and fraught with uncertainty.
Much social media training that is of merit is about assuaging concerns about losing control “of the message”.
Your point that “every internal communications needs to be labelled with whether the content is tweetable, statusable” is sure to send chills up the spine of many at UK Plc, particularly those running small businesses.
Anyone else from the UK care to comment?”
Patrick replied to add that he was from the UK!
He also added some great tips for systemically devising a plan to leverage the social media activities of a company’s best people. See the full discussion on LinkedIn (you’ll need to log in).
Another insightful comment came from Andrew Armitage, MD and Creative Lead, Armitage Online Ltd who disagreed with some of my comments on the Manchester Digital Group on LinkedIn! Here come his thoughts:
“Your answer to the original question,
“I would argue that the client should be forward thinking enough to recognise the need for regular engagement with website visitors using social media and should request some support with this.”
I disagree with this. Yes, many people do know what Facebook, Twitter and Flickr are, but if they don’t know how to use them to engage with their audience at a strategic level, how can they be expected to know they should be using these tools? Just because everyone else is? I would hope not.
If the internet is still ‘new’, then the shrink wrap has yet to be lifted from social media, and I feel that the majority of clients really need their hand holding here.”
I do agree with him. See the rest of his comments and my response.
There was a rather more encouraging comment from Jim Gibson, Publisher at Online Media Today:
“Thanks for sharing this article! It is so appropriately timed as we were just discussing this very topic with our web design team…
This area of online marketing is no doubt where the most significant demand lays and its good to see others who embrace this much needed area of focus.”
Thanks Jim! It appears that this is a pertinent discussion. Please join in over at LinkedIn.
Related posts:
- Social Media represents the end of Search – The Debate Rages On At #smc_mcr
- Shouldn’t Social Media Training Be Included With Web Design Services?
- 3 Key Takeaways from the Introduction to Social Media for Media Professionals Training Course
- Real Fresh TV’s Monthly Social Media Events Guide
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