How Millennials Can Use Social Media Effectively for Work

Courtesy of Michael Critz
Courtesy of Michael Critz

We all know most Millennials are social media savvy. Whether you are on the metro, street or at a restaurant, I am sure you have seen a young person updating their status or posting a picture. Did you know social media translates into a needed skill? Some wonder how hard can it be to tweet or post a status update. Anyone can do that, right?

The answer is yes. Anyone can “do social media,” but there is a difference between simply doing social media and being social. Executives find themselves hiring young interns to manage their corporation’s social media accounts because Millennials are supposed to be “social media experts.” But are we producing real effective results when inside the office?

Social Media Isn’t a Cakewalk

We are young and have been brought up in the digital age. But has this young generation lost touch with simply using social media as their own narcissistic stage, or are they taking advantage of using it for what it is, a communication tool that can translate into a job? Forbes has published multiple articles on the effects, recent findings on how to accomplish goals when using social media, and how Millennials come into play when put in a social media management position.

According to Eve Mayer, CEO of a social media services company, “any idiot can do social media.” This can be a little offensive for someone like me, who is a social media and marketing intern. Is this true? Can anyone just get on a computer and start typing on a social network? However, Mayer goes on to explain the people who should lead your social media are the ones who understand the company and its goals. She also goes on to say that executives need to make their organization’s goals clear.

What Does Forbes Say?

A Forbes article recently highlighted the current social media market and the attention it is gaining from professionals. Certain companies and professionals are learning the value of how social media can reach a large audience.

As a social media intern at the American Bar Association, I have seen how using specific strategies with Twitter and Facebook have caused interaction between members, with an increase of over 400 followers since May.

According to Jason DeMers , “If brands can locate a person who has wide reach on social media, one message can reach a large number of people. If the message is interesting enough, those members’ messages will be read and passed on by their followers, potentially reaching thousands of people in a short time. That’s why social media has such huge potential, but only when executed strategically.” And this is why we must strategize our social media efforts.

Like DeMers stated, social media has huge potential, but it must be executed strategically. This brings me back to my point of not only “doing social media,” but “being social.” Let’s live up to our social media savvy status and be social together!

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Lauren Creekmore is the president of PRSSA at Liberty University, and a rising junior. You can follow her on Twitter @LCreekmore1 or connect with her on LinkedIn.

 

3 thoughts on “How Millennials Can Use Social Media Effectively for Work

    • Author gravatar

      Some interesting points here. I think it’s important for a senior-level person to lead the overall social media strategy and ensure it ties into the business objectives. Millennials are great people to be implementing those strategies and directly managing the accounts because they easily connect with this generation. It really comes down to collaboration and getting both sides to understand each other.

    • Author gravatar

      Great article, Lauren! I definitely agree that we millennials can all “do social media;” however, not all of us know how to “be social.” As an intern this summer, I worked extensively with social media. When I discussed my social media duties with my friends, many of them were confused as to how managing a client’s social media could be so time-consuming and demanding. Using social media platforms to effectively engage a brand’s audience requires thorough research, strategic planning, efficient implementation and accurate measurement. Constantly pushing information out through Facebook and Twitter will not get the job done. Ultimately, the content brands share on social media must encourage conversation and engagement among followers in order to “be social.”

      Mary Kathryn Woods
      Platform Magazine Writer/Editor

    • Author gravatar

      Best wishes!

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