Social media has reached critical mass.
It's been a year since hurricanes Harvey and Irma became the first "social media storms" where digital channels played a key role in emergency communications.
Still, these online tools remain a bit scary for many people. Their fear is losing control over the message.
Yet an even greater risk is posed by not using social media at all. If we don't tell our story, others who are using these digital platforms will tell it for us.
Social media offers more speed, engagement and reach than most other communications tools. Using all these methods at various times allows you to connect with your audiences in their preferred ways.
The key is to monitor the conversation and get involved, set the record straight when you can, and stay in the game for the long-term.
One way to keep a little more control is to have your social media platforms set up and an audience established BEFORE you actually need them.
Here are some guidelines for using social media, based on successful examples in the water industry:
Social media is not without flaws - rumors and distortions often spread faster than truth.
Still, the bottom line is that social media is no longer a nice to have - it's now a need to have.
Next month - how to stop saying "uhm" ...
If you would like to talk about how to communicate more effectively, please call or text me at 512.797.9925 or email me at laura@raunpr.com.
Best,
Laura