Why media and communication management is essential

In today’s interconnected world, one of the hazards is navigating through all the media inputs that bombard us. Not just from traditional print and billboards and TV, but also, of course, various social media. How could business professionals make sense of it all? And is it only for marketing or media professionals?

In today’s column, we asked Millie Morales, our resource person on social media management, for her take on the relevance of engaging your customers through social media.

How could other line managers (who are not marketing or media practitioners) benefit from social media data?
First: remember that whatever your role is, you represent your company so personal opinions or stories that come from you could be interpreted as a reflection of your organization. Second, social media is an important touch point of our consumers, especially in the Philippines. Everything is there. If you are in sales, you can do a competitive scan and a market scan. If you are a business analyst, you can check market trends. If you are an HR (human resources) professional, you could search and check qualified candidates who could match your job openings. LinkedIn, for example, is like Facebook for job hunters and jobseekers. You get a more targeted audience and you can see recommendations and reviews others give to specific people.

Could government agencies and employees also benefit from this?

Social media helps dictate public perception. You can promote an information campaign, a leader or even yourself in social media. The MMDA (Metropolitan Manila Development Authority), for example, was able to establish a relatable personality and engage the community through Twitter. Facebook pages of cities and towns, if updated regularly, give a glimpse to their citizens of what their leaders are doing. Certain politicians, like Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, are able to inspire change in social media. A lot of the projects he is doing have been done by other politicians, but he is able to create a good story online and he inspires others to do the same.
How about small businesses, should they adopt a multimedia approach as well? What if they don’t have the budget?
Regardless of funding, it is best to attempt to go multimedia to tap your audience. People are “multiscreen” now so the more touch points the better. However, a lot of businesses do not have the adequate budget to go all out on advertising. If you need to select, go digital. It is interaction in action. Apart from engaging customers, one could easily fix problems if there are any. Think of the ways a company could show it’s quick and alert through a well-timed Twitter response, for example.

What are some adjustments we would have to make in attempting multimedia? Can the exact same message simply be replicated across different media?

Create an overarching campaign that would guide your campaign communication but it should have different iterations on different platforms because each has different audiences and behaviors. For example, the heartwarming videos of Jollibee worked online. Note that ads on Facebook and YouTube are cheaper than TV, plus people have the luxury to watch longer ads online and they can repeat it anytime they wish. Another example: It is not advisable to hard sell in Instagram. People go there to check out what people are eating, wearing or where they’re traveling. But brands can be more direct and hard sell on Facebook, YouTube, print and radio.

How frequently should we update our media communication messages?

One campaign per year with one story or theme is preferred. It may even last up to two years. There can be subcampaigns per quarter/ month depending on the season (such as summer, Christmas and election). The theme will be broken down in social media through pictures and videos with very specific messages or highlighting specific products at relevant time periods.The Inquirer Academy will launch a new program called Media and Communication Empowerment (MACE): Using Media to Build your Brand and Engage Customers which be held on Feb. 24-26, 2020. We believe that it is best for everyone to understand, and to take advantage of the rich, useful data provided by multiple media sources. We have combined three topics that are building blocks for multimedia management: The Essentials of Social Media Management: Amplify your Brand and Engage your Customers, Developing Content & Building Connections with Media: Ensure Your Brand Story is Heard and Crisis Communication: Dealing with Multimedia in Times of Crisis.

Morales will facilitate the course on social media management. She will also facilitate a course on “Create an Impactful Online Brand Image” in Cebu City. INQ

The Inquirer Academy is at 4168 Don Chino Roces Ave. corner Ponte St., Makati City. For more information about the workshops or if you would like to add your input on the article, please email [email protected], call (02) 8834-1557, (02) 8771-2715 or (0945) 2158935 and look for Jerald Miguel or Karl Paz, or visit www.inquireracademy.com.