February 2010

Social media's proliferation has helped to advance public relations and marketing practice. Yet, despite the long distance we've traveled in just a short time with social media, we still have much to learn about both its potential and its limitations. So whether you're an experienced social media user or are just now developing this aspect of your communication program, all can stand to benefit from recognizing some common myths surrounding social media.

Dispelling Five Common Social Media Myths

1. Myth: Social media will soon replace traditional media as the most viable source of news.
   Fact: The percentage of original content found on social media pales in comparison to traditional media. In fact, most news content is first published in the print or web editions of major news outlets, and then syndicated or picked up on social media networks and blogs. Thus, while the preferred vehicle for news distribution may be shifting to digital, real-time platforms, the source of most content remains the same.  Without traditional media, in whatever form, there would be very little, if any, news to fuel social media.

2. Myth: Social media is a cost-effective and easy way to connect and engage with stakeholders and brand constituents.
   Fact: Engaging your audience via social media is certainly cost-effective in the sense that most of the sites available for participation are free to join. However, they still cost you in terms of the time needed to establish and maintain a profile or account. In fact, in the U.S., the average median salary for a "social media manager" hovers around $73,000, whereas the median salary of a "community relations manager" is over $82,000. That assumes you want to hire a dedicated person to handle your company's social media. If you're going to use someone already on your team, you'll also need to factor in the additional expense associated with the time the person spends on other tasks, the newly added responsibility of maintaining your company's social media presence, as well as the training they may need to undergo (think html and graphics for more advanced campaigns or the learning curve associated with novice users). Regardless of whether you choose to expand your team or stay in-house, you'll also want to consider how much you'll spend on social media advertising and how that fits into your overall communication budget. 

3. Myth: If you want to take part in social media you'll need to hire a special "social media agency" or some other form of social media "guru."
   Fact: A quick search on Twellow.com (The Twitter Yellow Pages) reveals that out of the 15.8 million profiles indexed, the phrase "social media" appears in some 31,000 bios, "new media" appears in 5,800. Whether known as a ... guru (517); expert (405); manager (246); agency (151); pro, maverick or maven (86); or by some other name - we're all merely students at various stages of development.

4. Myth: Because content is posted online or in social media, it is exempt from copyright or anti-piracy laws.
   Fact: It has never been easier to distribute and disseminate content across the web. And the expansion of social media has accelerated the process. Unfortunately, many communications practitioners labor under the misperception that anything residing on the web "must be free" or "covered by the doctrine of fair-use." In actuality, though, much of what populates online and social media remains subject to copyright or anti-piracy laws.  "Alleged Peer-To-Peer Pirate Rejects Settlement Offer In File-Sharing Case" and "The YouTube Approach to Copyright Infringement Claims" are just two of the many recent headlines atop stories that shed light on copyright as it applies to the web.

5. Myth: Social media is an effective communication strategy.
   Fact: Yes, if your audience is attuned to social media, it can be a viable tool of engagement. But your communication program should not paint itself into a social media corner. It is important to remember that social media is just one tactic in a much broader communication effort; it is a medium, not the overall message. To demonstrate and measure success, it's essential to create communications objectives that are aligned with your organization's broad goals.