This deck outlines some top-line considerations related to using social media tools for internal communications. The original presentation was made in Thailand where traditional organizational cultures make using social media problematic.

2. What is social media
What is Internal communications
Models of using social media for internal
communicationscommunications
Requirements
Roadblocks
Going forward

3. Social media is NOT the same as digital
≠
Digital
Social
Media
≠

4. Top 3 Digital IC
Channels:
Centralized e-mail
Company Intranet
Top 3 Social Media IC
Channels:
Blogs
Instant messaging appsCompany Intranet
E-newsletters
Instant messaging apps
ESN/social media (42%)
69% of IC professionals surveyed said digital channels
can be accessed via company owned mobile devices
43% said these channels can be accessed through
personal mobile devises – up from 38% in 2013.

5. A set of technologies that facilitate creation of
networks and sharing of information
Social media is characterized as:

6. Dynamic
Bi-
Directional
No Rules
Social
Media
Directional
Unregulated
Global
Egalitarian

7. Social media users expect:
Sharing
Reactions

8. The process of facilitating communications
with employees on topics relevant to an
organization
Primary Responsibilities of ICPrimary Responsibilities of IC
Share Company information
Gather feedback
Gain Buy-in
Seek Engagement/Collaboration

9. Among international internal
communications professionals the top three
priorities were:
Developing / refreshing IC strategyDeveloping / refreshing IC strategy
Improving electronic channels
Improving / expanding leadership
communications
Half-way down the list of priorities was:
Introducing new social media tools

10. The most common social media platforms
that are used for IC are:
Blogs
Wiki’s
Enterprise Social Networks
Messaging Apps

13. Some reasons to consider using social media
for IC: Flexibility
Effectiveness
Scalability
Familiarity

14. Social media is particularly good for:
knowledge and experience sharing
project collaboration
gathering honest feedback
It is not the best way to handle traditional
‘communications’
ITalk…You Listen

15. CompanyWide – all-to-all
Value Chain Specific – limited cross-
functional
SmallGroup /Team CollaborationSmallGroup /Team Collaboration
Social Networks – self-selected groups
Feedback Loops – bottom-up

16. Senior Management Leadership
IC/Social Media Strategy
Objectives
Timeline
Milestones
Resources
Cultural awareness

17. Type of organization
Industry
Employee composition
SME/Large Corp/International
Nature of Management

18. Culture
Organizational Culture
Social Culture
User Culture

19. Your social media platform:
becomes a site for gossip and/or rumor
mongering
allows disagreements to get out of hand andallows disagreements to get out of hand and
negatively impact productivity and/or
engagement
exposes your organization to liability under
Thailand’s computer crimes act

20. The organization needs to carefully consider:
Objectives
Technology
Policy
Management Support

21. Need to determine who will manage the
internal social media platform and channel
Skills
Resources
Time
Reporting

22. Two approaches to deploying social media for
IC:
Phased deployment
‘Kill the Beta’ (launch it company-wide from the
start)

23. https://www.simply-communicate.com/case-studies/internal-communications/growth-
enterprise-social-network-basf
• Large Fortune 500 chemical company deployed a complete
enterprise social network called: connect.BASF
• Highly structured phased deployment with internal focus
groups
• Full functionality and scaled to support over 35,000 users
• Careful management of use

24. • Small technology driven organizations leveraging IM
technology likeWhatsApp to accelerate internal
communications between HQ and external staff and among
teams
• System is fast and inexpensive
• Difficult to archive materials and ongoing program tend to
migrate to email for documentation purposes

25. • US State University’s online program social media site• US State University’s online program social media site
• Globally deployed staff providing online teaching to
students around the world
• Need to provide central hub in order to build team dynamic,
share best practices and ensure uniformity of
understanding
• Full functionality with similarities to Facebook as well as a
hosted blog portal