The New Business Watchdog

The World has changed. As I sit at home, laptop open, I watch the world’s happenings fly by in front of my eyes. No longer do we experience delays in the obtaining of information, or the analysis of that information by the masses. The World has shrunk through the growth of technology and innovation and with this; both opportunities and problems arise, depending on where you sit.

The internet is a multi - billion dollar cash machine which major corporations and small self sustained businesses alike utilize in an attempt to expand their institutions. However, what many of these establishments fail to realise are the heightened intelligence levels, significant expectations and demands of the online public.

Social Networks are now the dominating force not only on the internet, but in the average person’s life in current times. One has only to think of examples such as Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, Etc to accept this statement as fact. These networks, or more specifically their users, scrutinize the web with critical eyes, waiting for the chance to destroy anything that is half-baked or just plain inaccurate. The mission – to burn the wool that is pulled over people’s eyes in order to fool the public into consumption, whether that be consumption of blatant propaganda, or misleading information leading to the consumption of products or services.

A significant example can be seen in the current social and political situation in the previously tightly controlled country of Tunisia. Fifty-five years ago, the country successfully gained its independence from France, only for the public to find itself under the yoke of the new government. Through the use of social networks, the country’s population were able to firstly discuss and then organise a response to what they consider to be an inadequate and suppressive bureaucracy. The response has come in the form of mass riots, leading to the forceful expulsion of now former president, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. Many experts believe this could have a ripple effect in other countries, most likely starting with Egypt. Time will tell.

We have established the power and extraordinary usage of social networks. Now I want to examine the use of such networks for financial gain by businesses. Every Tom, Dick and Harry, attempts to use these mass collective online communities to flog their agendas, and to create financial opportunities for themselves. However, what many don’t realise or take into consideration, are the number of critics out there, ready to tear your offerings to shreds, should they prove to be inaccurate or inadequate. Gone are the days when the general public can be fooled by a catchy sales line or product / service description. The public now have the resources to examine these “offerings” in fine detail, based on eclectic reviews, direct comparisons and general discussion. If an online advert is found to be less than advertised, it will subsequently and directly be discredited in the public eye. On the other hand, if it proves to be beneficial and a great deal, it will be freely promoted by many, leading to an increase in consumption.

So why are so many businesses still underestimating the repercussions of incompetent social network advertising? What has to be considered in order to avoid such downfalls and to insure the profitable use of such networks?

In my opinion, the following points are the most important to be considered and/or implemented if one is serious about successfully infiltrating social network advertising or to improve one’s current success rates in this domain:

1.     Honesty & Transparency :

If anything about the business is proven to be inaccurate or if it seems like information is being hidden from public view, it will be picked up and pounced upon, thus discrediting the business immediately. This of course will directly become public knowledge.

2.     Content & Quality:

Remember that advertising is obviously a direct representation of the calibre of the business. This is very self-explanatory. If advertising is lacking in content or quality, this is how the business as a whole will be perceived by online observers.

3.     Clarity & Consistency:

Advertising decisions need to be made according to previously set guidelines constructed by the relevant company members. This includes goals and standards. In this way, the business will have a very clear guideline as to what they wish to achieve.

4.     Personalisation & Interaction:

It is vital for the public and/or target audience to feel like they are important to the company and that their business is wanted. This can be achieved by effort being placed into the general communication with the public as a whole. On top of this, interaction with the online community as well as with individuals is imperative. Respond to individual comments or queries. This is a great way to form an effective relationship with social network users as they will soon see that this company takes time to respond and cares about the individual. Grievances too should not be ignored. If a challenge is thrown down in the form of a complaint, it must be responded to directly, in a professional manner, acknowledging the problem and offering a solution. Don’t shy away from such tasks and the company will be respected for it.

5.     Availability & Support:

In this day and age, the public want their online activities to be as effortless as possible. This can be achieved effectively if the networks are monitored 24 / 7 by the company itself. This service would go hand in hand with Personalisation & Interaction. If a company makes itself available to its target audience, it will be an opportunity not only to show their professionalism but also to continuously monitor the progress and effectiveness of that advertising as well as the potential consumers understanding of the available information.

6.     Respect & Privacy:

The correct policy of Respect & Privacy for the involved company personnel must be implemented by the business. Along with the obvious courtesies of always being polite and as helpful as is possible, it must be remembered in all cases to keep your visitors’ and online client base’s information private. This seems like a standard concept; however, it is one that is often neglected through sloppy handling of information as well as the ‘leaking’ of information by the staff. This has the potential to destroy your company’s reputation as there is a real chance that these mistakes will be shared with the larger online public.

The information Age has been thrust upon us and as a global community; we have embraced it with both arms and demanded more. What we once viewed as a fantastical future is now reality and all those living in the past need to catch up with the current requirements to function as well as to prosper, in today’s market or face becoming outdated. Don’t be left behind