Using social media in thought leadership programmes - a few thoughts (article by Tim Prizeman in PSMG magazine November 2011)

1. Incorporating social
media with your thought
leadership strategy
TIM PRIZEMAN
Kelso Consulting
Timp@kelsopr.com
There is a lot of hype around social media, and many
professionals are often sceptical.
M
any are over-sceptical, just as their Social media and thought- I While a few power brands may be able to
predecessors were resistant in the leadership attract huge followers, the people who have
1990s to PR, advertising, branding, really made it work for them have done so
client satisfaction interviews, and all the other I Don’t just think LinkedIn and Facebook.
through a lot of consistent work over many
things well run firms now take as normal. Look out for others with a relevant business
months to build up not just a long list of
focus such as Quora and Focus too. They
However, let’s be clear: if you want to followers, but also engage with the most
aren't just distribution channels - use them
make a big impact online, the sites with the influential of them through direct messages
to ‘listen in’ on subjects of interest to gain
biggest value include those of traditional print and commenting on their material. This
insights and test hypotheses for your
and broadcast media – national newspapers, makes social media is a time vacuum and
research as it develops.
BBC, leading trade papers, etc. particularly so for busy professionals whose
I You may well want your ideas to ‘go viral’, time is money. Do factor this in.
Whether you are assessing this by page
but how will this be achieved? Dull but
traffic, credibility with Google for SEO purposes, I Many professionals are active and
worthy reports rarely go viral, while
general believability or other criteria, being on accomplished users of social media already –
interesting or amusing videos and
FT.com or Telegraph.co.uk is 99 out of 100 times far better to get such enthusiasts to lead
memorable sound bites frequently do.
going to be more valuable than lots of chatter on this area rather than trying to drag a
News can go viral if it is really interesting
nobody.blog, or tweets from the large number of sceptic into this role. Perhaps the main
or important. Creativity as well as content
people with a few dozen followers on Twitter. spokesman for the print media, and an
is needed here.
That said if you start seeing social media as enthusiastic under-study for digital
I What social media is the right platform (or vice versa in some markets now!)
less of a broadcast media and more of a way of
for engaging with your target audience?
creating and building “relationships” (and no, I Don’t start on the social media element
LinkedIn? Twitter? Facebook? Indeed, are
I don’t see online-only contact as a relationship at the last minute. It needs to be grown
any of them a good use of time? Yes if you
...though it may be the start) then social media organically, so have this at each stage
are aiming at Generation Y, recruits and
has an important and still growing role. of the programme creation, not bolted
technologists, more debatable if aiming at,
For thought leadership it is particularly on at the end.
say, FTSE financial directors.
useful – whether promoting it, engaging with I Be realistic – just because some small
people to discuss it and, importantly, as a way partnership got 1 million followers for
of getting the ideas and insights to investigate their half-baked survey does not mean you
in the first place. automatically will for your weighty report.
While aiming for the sky, set expectations
around what is likely, not what is
theoretically possible.
I Social media is not a ‘tap’ you turn on
and off. It is garden that needs consistent
cultivation and love – who are the
gardeners, and do they really have the
necessary green-fingers required?
I Are you an active user of social media?
If not, how will you gain credibility with
the professionals who are looking to you
for advice.
Tim Prizeman, Director, Kelso Consulting
– public relations & thought leadership
advisors to professional firms.
www.kelsopr.com
26 PSMG November/December 2011