Many sociology and anthropology textbooks begin by stating that human beings are social by nature. This, they argue, is why we have tend to pursue community and building societies. It is not a hard sell for those textbooks, since our experiences do seem to point to the fact that we are social beings. That being said, it does not necessarily follow that businesses in the Houston area know how to engage in social media well in the professional arena.
According to Forbes, 2012 will be the year when we look back and are amazed at the rapid advancement of social media in the business world. For example, Dell has trained over 6,000 of their employees in social media, and most businesses understand that it may be one of the most important arenas in which they need to make their presence known.
The author of the article in Forbes notes that when he writes about social media and how to use it in the business environment, his Twitter following increases, and the newcomers are most often social media neophytes or long-time users with small followings. More and more people are trying to figure out how to use social media to the best advantage for their businesses.
There are some fine resources available. Online sources such as Social Media Today and Mashable often provide very good “how to” articles when it comes to promoting a business using the various types of social media available. But even with these online resources, there is a considerable learning curve. Learning how to use social media takes time, time which business owners and their employees need to invest in running the business, manufacturing products or handling customer service.
Unfortunately, some companies have tried to assign social media tasks to employees who are ill-trained in their use. This is like asking an administrative assistant to complete graphic design for the company. The assistant may or may not have the skills necessary to undertake such a task.
Fortunately, there are advertising and marketing experts available in Houston who can provide the know-how and technical expertise in social media that may be missing in the current employee pool. These specialists have hands-on experience with Twitter, Facebook, Google+, YouTube and a host of other social media sites. If you are a business owner or are in charge of your company’s marketing, contact a marketing company that specializes in social media. It is not just the wave of the future; it is where your business needs to be today.
