Is Web Video a Necessity in 2011?

Posted by: Mark Palony // January 12th, 2011

Is web video a necessity in 2011? Social Times says so in this post, arguing that everyone is doing it so it pays to jump in with your competitors and join the fray. But that doesn’t mean you should jump without looking first.

The author, Meghan O’Neill, cites three reasons video is a no-brainer:

  1. Everybody’s doing it
  2. There are only so many original ideas. Get ‘em while they’re hot
  3. Online video is everywhere

While it’s true that the use of online video is growing by leaps and bounds, it is also true that most of what is produced is as memorable as what you had for dinner last a week ago. Occasionally a video or video campaign goes viral – Old Spice being the most recent example – but most live in relative obscurity.

@MarkPalony

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Key Elements of a Social Media Policy

Posted by: Neil James // August 11th, 2009

Should employees be encouraged to use social networking to enhance marketing outreach? Or will such activity impede productivity in an already tight economy? And what about reputational risk? These and other questions are clearly on the minds of every C-suite executive.

Recent research we undertook with our friends at Ethos Business Law found eight in ten businesses have concerns about the potential liabilities of social media. Yet, only one third have a policy in place to govern social media use, and just nine percent said they have conducted relevant employee training.

Instead of ignoring the need for responsible guidelines, organizations of all sizes should begin to define their strategy regarding social media, and most importantly, the rules for employee engagement. By doing so, management can take advantage of the benefits offered by these new communication channels while mitigating undue risk. But remember, social media is a far different animal than traditional technology. A company’s current policies on IT matters are usually not sufficient.

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Companies Remain Uncertain – And Do Little – About Potential Risks of Social Media

Posted by: Neil James // August 6th, 2009

Social media has become a fixture on communication agendas across the country, fueled by the fact that Americans’ spent 73 percent more time on such social networking sites in the past year alone. But according to a new survey, social media use is also generating its share of corporate heartburn.

Recent research we conducted along with Ethos Business Law confirms that confidence exists in social networking as viable communication outreach, but so do worries about the potential liabilities involved. Concerns regarding social media use were acknowledged by some eight in 10 businesses participating in the national study, which was conducted over the month of July. Fifty-one percent fear social media could be detrimental to employee productivity, while almost half (49%) assert that using social media could damage company reputation.

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