Crafting Messages for Electronic Media Chapter 7 Crafting Messages for Electronic Media Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

Learning Objectives Identify the major electronic media used for brief business messages and describe the nine compositional modes needed for electronic and social media Describe the use of social networks in business communication Explain how companies and business professionals can use information and media sharing websites LEARNING OBJECTIVES After studying this chapter, you will be able to do the following: Identify the major electronic media used for brief business messages and describe nine compositional modes needed for electronic and social media. Describe the use of social networks in business communication Explain how companies and business professionals can use information and media sharing websites Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

Learning Objectives Describe the evolving role of email in business communication and explain how to adapt the three-step writing process to email messages Describe the business benefits of instant messaging (IM) and identify guidelines for effective IM in the workplace LEARNING OBJECTIVES After studying this chapter, you will be able to do the following: Describe the evolving role of email in business communication and explain how to adapt the three-step writing process to email messages Describe the business benefits of instant messaging (IM) and identify guidelines for effective IM in the workplace Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

Learning Objectives Describe the role of blogging and microblogging in business communication today and explain how to adapt the three-step writing process to blogging Explain how to adapt the three-step writing process to podcasting LEARNING OBJECTIVES After studying this chapter, you will be able to do the following: Describe the role of blogging and microblogging in business communication today and explain how to adapt the three-step writing process to blogging Explain how to adapt the three-step writing process to podcasting Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

Electronic and Social Media Options Podcasts Online Video Blogging & Microblogging Text Messaging Email Instant Messaging Content Sharing Sites Social Networks Social media are electronic media that empower stakeholders as participants in the communication process by allowing them to share content, revise content, respond to content, or contribute new content. Social networks and user-generated content sites. Social networking sites such as Facebook and user-generated content sites such as YouTube provide a variety of communication tools, including user comments and personal profiles, that support brief messages. Instant messaging (IM). After consumers around the world began to adopt IM as a faster and simpler alternative to email, businesses were not far behind. Computer-based IM usage now rivals email usage in many companies. Text messaging. Phone-based text messaging has a number of applications in business communication, including order and status updates, marketing and sales messages, electronic coupons, and customer service. Blogging and microblogging. The ability to update content quickly and easily makes blogs and microblogs (such as Twitter) a natural medium when communicators want to get messages out in a hurry. Podcasting. You may be familiar with podcasts as the online equivalent of recorded radio or video broadcasts (video podcasts are often called vidcasts or vodcasts). Businesses are now using podcasts to replace or supplement some conference calls, newsletters, training courses, and other communication activities. Online video. Now that YouTube and similar websites have made online video available to hundreds of millions of web users, video has been transformed from a fairly specialized tool to a mainstream business communication medium. More than half of the world’s largest companies now have their own branded channels on YouTube, for example. Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

Compositional Modes for Electronic Media Conversations Comments and Critiques Orientations Summaries Reference Material Narratives Teasers Status Updates & Announcements Tutorials As you practice using electronic media in this course, focus on the principles of social media communication and the fundamentals of planning, writing, and completing messages, rather than on the specific details of any one medium or system.6 Fortunately, the basic communication skills required usually transfer from one system to another. You can succeed with written communication in virtually all electronic media by using one of nine compositional modes: Fortunately, the basic communication skills required usually transfer from one system to another. You can succeed with written communication in virtually all electronic media by using one of nine compositional modes: Conversations. IM is a great example of a written medium that mimics spoken conversation Comments and critiques. One of the most powerful aspects of social media is the opportunity for interested parties to express opinions and provide feedback. Orientations. The ability to help people find their way through an unfamiliar system or new subject is a valuable writing skill and a talent that readers greatly appreciate. Unlike summaries (see next item), orientations don’t give away the key points in the collection of information but rather tell readers where to find those points and how to navigate through the collection. Summaries. At the beginning of an article or webpage, a summary functions as a miniature version of the document, giving readers all the key points while skipping over details . Reference materials. One of the greatest benefits of the Internet is the access it can provide to vast quantities of reference materials—numerical or textual information people typically don’t read in a linear way but rather search through or browse to find particular data points, trends, or other details. Narratives. The storytelling techniques covered in Chapter 4 (see page 112) can be effective in a wide variety of situations, from company histories to product reviews and demonstrations. ● Teasers. Teasers intentionally withhold key pieces of information as a way to pull readers or listeners into a story or other document. In electronic media, the space limitations and URL linking capabilities of Twitter and other microblogging systems make them a natural tool for the teaser approach. Status updates and announcements. If you use social media frequently, much of your writing will involve status updates and announcements. Tutorials. Given the community nature of social media, the purpose of many messages is to share how-to advice. Becoming known as a reliable expert is a great way to build customer loyalty for your company while enhancing your own personal value. Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

Linkedin Highlights Figure 7.1 The Rise and Reach of Social Media This infographic shows the rapid rise and wide reach of four major social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Source: 2012 CEO, Social Media & Leadership Survey, Brandfog, www.brandfog.com; “About Us,” LinkedIn, accessed 2 February 2013, http://press.linkedin.com/about/; “The Global LinkedIn Audience,” LinkedIn, accessed 2 February 2013, http://marketing.linkedin.com; Fan Page List, accessed 2 February 2013, http://fanpagelist.com; Josh Mendelohn, “The Business Impact of Twitter: It’s Come a Long Way,” Constant Contact, 20 October 2011, http://blogs.constantcontact.com; “10 Facts about Consumer Behavior on Twitter,” Social Media Quickstarter, accessed 28 May 2012, www.socialquickstarter.com; “10 Facts about Consumer Behavior on Facebook,” Social Media Quickstarter, accessed 28 May 2012, www.socialquickstarter.com; Samantha Murphy, “These Are the Most Engaging Brands on Facebook,” Mashable, 15 May 2012, http://mashable.com; “Statistics,” YouTube, accessed 2 February 2013, www.youtube.com. Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

Twitter Highlights Figure 7.1 The Rise and Reach of Social Media This infographic shows the rapid rise and wide reach of four major social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Source: 2012 CEO, Social Media & Leadership Survey, Brandfog, www.brandfog.com; “About Us,” LinkedIn, accessed 2 February 2013, http://press.linkedin.com/about/; “The Global LinkedIn Audience,” LinkedIn, accessed 2 February 2013, http://marketing.linkedin.com; Fan Page List, accessed 2 February 2013, http://fanpagelist.com; Josh Mendelohn, “The Business Impact of Twitter: It’s Come a Long Way,” Constant Contact, 20 October 2011, http://blogs.constantcontact.com; “10 Facts about Consumer Behavior on Twitter,” Social Media Quickstarter, accessed 28 May 2012, www.socialquickstarter.com; “10 Facts about Consumer Behavior on Facebook,” Social Media Quickstarter, accessed 28 May 2012, www.socialquickstarter.com; Samantha Murphy, “These Are the Most Engaging Brands on Facebook,” Mashable, 15 May 2012, http://mashable.com; “Statistics,” YouTube, accessed 2 February 2013, www.youtube.com. Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

Creating Content for Social Media (Twitter) Links to an article in a respected business magazine Links to an article and information about the firm’s consulting services in this market Figure 7.2 Compositional Modes in Electronic and Social Media The global accounting and consulting firm Deloitte uses Twitter to announce and promote a variety of topics and resources. Rather than relying on the 140-character tweets to convey the entire message, the company uses tweets as teasers, encouraging readers to click through for more detailed information. Source: Copyright © 2012 Deloitte Global Services Limited. Reprinted with permission. Links to a video on YouTube Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

Creating Content for Social Media Use a conversational approach Write informally but not carelessly Create concise, informative headlines Get involved and stay involved Use promotion indirectly Be transparent and honest Social media have changed the relationship between senders and receivers; therefore, the nature of the messages between them has also changed. Follow these tips to create successful content for social media: Remember that it is a conversation, not a lecture or a sales pitch. One of the great appeals of social media is the feeling of conversation, of people talking with one another instead of one person talking at everyone else. Write informally but not carelessly. Write as a human being, not as a cog in a faceless corporate machine. At the same time, do not get sloppy. Create concise, specific, and informative headlines. Avoid the temptation to engage in clever wordplay with headlines. This advice applies to all forms of business communication, of course, but it is essential for social media. Get involved and stay involved. Companies and individuals can and do get criticized all the time in social media. Take the opportunity to correct misinformation or explain how mistakes will be fixed. If you need to promote something, do so indirectly. Just as you would not hit people with a company sales pitch during an informal social gathering, refrain from blatant promotional efforts in social media. Be transparent and honest. Honesty is always important. Avoid issues that have tripped up a few companies in recent years, such as hiding behind an online blogging persona. Think before you post! Because of careless messages, individuals and companies have been sued for Twitter updates, employees have been fired for Facebook wall postings, vital company secrets have been leaked, and business and personal relationships have been strained. Unless you are sending messages through a private channel, assume that every message will be read by people far beyond your original audience. Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

Twitter Highlights This post features a story with historical interest to the running community. Figure 7.3 Business Communication on Social Networks The shoe company New Balance uses Facebook to connect with the serious runners who make up its customer base. Source: Copyright © 2012 by New Balance. Reprinted with permission. This post offers information to help runners select the optimum shoe from the new “minimalist” style of footwear. Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

Social Network Categories Public, general-purpose networks Public, specialized networks Private networks Social networks, online services that help people and organizations form connections and share information, have become a major force in both internal and external business communication in recent years. In addition to Facebook, a variety of public and private social networks are used by businesses and professionals. These can be grouped into three categories: ● Public, general-purpose networks. Facebook is the largest of these, although Google1 is gaining membership and is attracting many companies and brands. Additionally, regionally focused networks have significant user bases in some countries, such as China’s Renren and Kaixin001.9 ● Public, specialized networks. Whereas Facebook and Google1 serve a wide variety of personal and professional needs, other networks focus on a particular function or a particular audience. The most widely known of these is LinkedIn, with its emphasis on career- and sales-related networking. Other networks address the needs of entrepreneurs, small business owners, specific professions, product enthusiasts, and other narrower audiences. ● Private networks. Some companies have built private social networks for internal use. For example, the defense contractor Lockheed Martin created its Unity network, complete with a variety of social media applications, to meet the expectations of younger employees accustomed to social media and to capture the expert knowledge of older employees nearing retirement.10 Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

Business Communication Uses of Social Networks Integrating company workforces Fostering collaboration Building communities Socializing brands and companies Understanding target markets Recruiting employees and busines partners With their ability to reach virtually unlimited numbers of people through a variety of electronic formats, social networks are a great fit for many business communication needs. Here are some of the key applications of social networks for internal and external business communication: Integrating company workforces Fostering collaboration Building communities Socializing brands and companies Understanding target markets Recruiting employees and business partners Connecting with sales prospects Supporting customers Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

Specialized (Internal) Social Networks A number of companies now host their own social networking sites, where product enthusiasts interact by sharing personal stories, offering advice, and commenting on products and company news—all brief-message functions that replace more traditional media options. Specialized, a major bicycle manufacturer based in Morgan Hill, California, hosts the Specialized Riders Club (www.specializedriders.com), where customers can interact with each other and the professional riders the company sponsors. Companies in virtually every industry use social media and continue to experiment with new ways to connect with customers and other stakeholders. From offering helpful tips on using products to helping customers meet each other, these companies show the enormous range of possibilities that new media continue to bring to business communication. 14 Specialized Social Networks A number of companies now host their own social networking sites, where product enthusiasts interact by sharing personal stories, offering advice, and commenting on products and company news—all brief-message functions that replace more traditional media options. For example, Specialized, a major bicycle manufacturer based in Morgan Hill, California, hosts the Specialized Riders Club ( www.specializedriders.com ), where customers can interact with each other and the professional riders the company sponsors. Similarly, the Segway Social network connects owners of these unique personal vehicles, including helping teams organize for Segway polo matches and other events. Source: Copyright © 2012 by Segway, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

User-Generated Content Customer Videos Zappos invites customers to create and upload videos that communicate their experiences with Zappos and its products. User-Generated Content Many companies now encourage user-generated content as a way to engage their stakeholders and provide additional value through shared expertise. The online shoe and apparel retailer Zappos, for example, invites customers to create and upload videos that communicate their experiences with Zappos and its products. Source: Copyright © 2013 by Zappos IP, Inc. Used by permission. Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

Value-Added Content Via Blogging The Quizzle personal finance blog offers a steady stream of articles and advice that help people manage their finances. Value-Added Content via Blogging One of the best ways to become a valued member of a network is to provide content that is useful to others in the network. The Quizzle personal finance blog offers a steady stream of articles and advice that help people manage their finances. Source: Copyright © 2013 by Quizzle. Used by permission. Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

Value-Added Content Via Online Video Lie-Nielsen Toolworks of Warren, Maine, uses its YouTube channel to offer valuable information on choosing and using premium woodworking tools. By offering sought-after information for both current and potential customers free of charge, these videos help Lie-Nielsen foster relationships with the worldwide woodworking community and solidify its position as one of the leaders in this market. Value-Added Content via Online Video Lie-Nielsen Toolworks of Warren, Maine, uses its YouTube channel to offer valuable information on choosing and using premium woodworking tools. By offering sought-after information for both current and potential customers free of charge, these videos help Lie-Nielsen foster relationships with the worldwide woodworking community and solidify its position as one of the leaders in this market. Animal Planet, Best Western, and Taco Bell are among the many other companies that make effective use of branded channels on YouTube. Source: Copyright © 2013 by Lie-Nielson Toolworks, Inc. Used by permission. Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

Strategies for Business Communication on Social Networks Choose the best compositional mode Offer valuable content Join conversations Facilitate community building Restrict conventional promotional efforts Maintain a consistent personality Social networks offer lots of business communication potential, but with those opportunities comes a certain degree of complexity. Moreover, the norms and practices of business social networking continue to evolve. Follow these guidelines to make the most of social networks for both personal branding and company communication:18 Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

Social Network Categories User-Generated Content Sites Content Curation Sites Community Q&A Sites User-Generated Content Sites YouTube, Flickr, Yelp, and other user-generated content (UGC) sites, in which users rather than website owners contribute most or all of the content, have become serious business tools. On YouTube, for example, companies post everything from product demonstrations and TV commercials to company profiles and technical support explanations. Content Curation Sites Newsfeeds from blogs and other online publishers can be a great way to stay on top of developments in any field. However, anyone who has signed up for more than a few RSS feeds has probably experienced the “firehose effect” of getting so many feeds so quickly that it becomes impossible to stay on top of them. Community Q&A Sites Community Q&A sites, on which visitors answer questions posted by other visitors (see Figure 7.4), are a contemporary twist on the early ethos of computer networking, which was people helping each other. Community Q&A sites include dedicated customer support communities such as those hosted on Get Satisfaction (http://getsatisfaction.com) as well as public sites such as Quora (www.quora.com) and Yahoo! Answers (http://answers.yahoo.com). Responding to questions on Q&A sites can be a great way to build your personal brand, Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

Content Curation Sites Collect and republish material on a particular topic. Pinterest.com Scoop.it Community Q&A sites, where visitors answer questions posted by other visitors or by representatives of companies, are becoming an increasingly important venue for routine communication such as customer support questions. Examples include dedicated customer support communities such as those hosted on Get Satisfaction (http://getsatisfaction.com), public sites such as Yahoo! Answers (http://answers.yahoo.com) and Quora (www.quora.com), and member-only sites such as LinkedIn Answers (www.linkedin.com/answers). Responding to questions on Q&A sites can be a great way to build your personal brand, to demonstrate your company’s commitment to customer service, and to counter misinformation about your company and its products. Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

Email Advantages Ease of correspondence No memberships or software downloads required Short-to-medium length messages Private communications Non-urgent Review at your leisure Email has been a primary medium for many companies for several decades, and in the beginning it offered a huge advantage in speed and efficiency over the media it frequently replaced (printed and faxed messages). Over the years, email began to be used for many communication tasks simply because it was the only widely available electronic medium for written messages and millions of users were comfortable with it. However, newer tools such as instant messaging, blogs, microblogs, social networks, and shared workspaces are taking over specific tasks for which they are better suited.27 For example, email is not usually the best choice for conversational communication (IM is better for this) or for project management discussions and updates (blogs, wikis, and various purpose-built systems are often better for this). However, email still has compelling advantages that will keep it in steady use in many companies. First, email is universal. Anybody with an email address can reach anybody else with an email address, no matter which systems the senders and receivers are on. Second, email is still the best medium for many private, short- to medium-length messages, particularly when the exchange is limited to two people. Unlike with microblogs or IM, for instance, midsize messages are easy to compose and easy to read on email. Third, email’s noninstantaneous nature is an advantage when used properly. Email lets senders compose substantial messages in private and on their own schedule, and it lets recipients read those messages at their leisure. Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

Planning Email Messages Only send necessary emails Don’t cc or bcc unnecessarily Understand company email policy Practice email “hygiene” Follow chain of command The biggest complaints about email are that there is just too much of it and that too many messages are of little or no value. You can help with this problem during the planning step by making sure every message has a useful, business-related purpose. Every email user has a responsibility to avoid actions that could cause trouble, from downloading virus-infected software to sending inappropriate photographs. Email hygiene refers to all the efforts that companies are making to keep email clean and safe—from spam blocking and virus protection to content filtering. Matt Cain, “Managing Email Hygiene,” ZD Net Tech Update, 5 February 2004 [accessed 19 March 2004] www .techupdate.zdnet.com. Finally, be sure to respect the chain of command. In many companies, any employee can email anyone else, including the president and CEO. However, take care that you don’t abuse this freedom. For instance, don’t send a complaint straight to the top just because it’s easy to do so. Your efforts will be more effective if you follow the organizational hierarchy and give each person a chance to address the situation in turn. Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

Writing Email Messages Business email is a more formal medium than you are probably accustomed to with email for personal communication (see Figure 7.5). The expectations of writing quality for business email are higher than for personal email, and the consequences of bad writing or poor judgment can be much more serious. Recognize that email messages carry the same legal weight as other business documents. The email subject line is one of the most important parts of an email message because it helps recipients decide which messages to read and when to read them. To capture your audience’s attention, make your subject lines informative and compelling. In addition, many email programs display the first few words or lines of incoming messages, even before the recipient opens them. As noted by social media public relations expert Steve Rubel, you can “tweetify” the opening lines of your email messages to make them stand out. In other words, choose the first few words carefully to grab your reader’s attention. Steve Rubel, “Tip: Tweetify the Lead of Your Emails,” The Steve Rubel Stream blog, 20 July 2010 [accessed 22 July 2010] www.steverubel.com. Too many people assume that the standards and expectations of business communication do not apply to email. As a general rule, however, the time you might save with careless email writing will not make up for the damage it can do to your career. Haphazard planning and sloppy writing may require less time for writers, but they usually demand more time from readers who are forced to dig the meaning out of misspelled words and confusing sentences. People who care about effective communication—a group that includes most senior executives—often judge the quality of your work by the quality of your writing. Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

Email for Business Communications Burgman includes enough of the original message to remind Williams why she is writing—but doesn’t clutter the screen with the entire original message. By itemizing the steps she wants Williams to follow, she makes it easy for him to respond and helps ensure that the work will be done correctly. Figure 7.5 Email for Business Communication In this response to an email query from a colleague, Elaine Burgman takes advantage of her email system’s features to create an efficient and effective message. Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

Completing Email Messages Revise and proofread carefully Keep layout simple and clean Use email signature Check recipient list before sending Use caution with “urgent” label Taking a few moments to revise and proofread your email messages might save you hours of headaches and damage control. The more important the message, the more carefully you need to proof. Also, favor simplicity when it comes to producing your email messages. A clean, easily readable font, in black on a white background, is sufficient for nearly all email messages. Take advantage of your email system’s ability to include an email signature, a small file that automatically includes such items as your full name, title, company, and contact information at the end of your messages. When you’re ready to distribute your message, pause to verify what you’re doing before you click “Send.” Make sure you’ve included everyone necessary—and no one else. Don’t click “Reply All” when you mean to click only “Reply.” The difference could be embarrassing or even career threatening. Don’t include people in the “cc” (courtesy copy) or “bcc” (blind courtesy copy) fields unless you know how these features work. (Everyone who receives the message can see who is on the cc line but not who is on the bcc line.) Also, don’t set the message priority to “high” or “urgent” unless your message is truly urgent. And if you intend to include an attachment, be sure that it is indeed attached. Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

Instant Messaging and Text Messaging Instantly on user screen Internal and external Conversational exchange Progressive technology Basic chat Presence awareness Remote document display Phone-based Marketing Customer service Security Crisis management Process monitoring Instant messaging (IM), in which users’ messages appear on each other’s screens instantly, is used extensively for internal and external business communication. IM is available in both stand-alone systems and as a function embedded in online meeting systems, collaboration systems, social networks, and other platforms Business-grade IM systems offer a range of capabilities, including basic chat, presence awareness (the ability to quickly see which people are at their desks and available to IM), remote display of documents, video capabilities, remote control of other computers, automated newsfeeds from blogs and websites, and automated bot (derived from the word robot) capabilities in which a computer can carry on simple conversations.35 Phone-based text messaging has a number of applications in business as well, including marketing (alerting customers about new sale prices, for example), customer service (such as airline flight status, package tracking, and appointment reminders), security (for example, authenticating mobile banking transactions), crisis management (such as updating all employees working at a disaster scene), and process monitoring (alerting computer technicians to system failures, for example).36 As it becomes more tightly integrated with other communication media, text messaging is likely to find even more widespread use in business communication. For example, texting is now integrated into systems such as Facebook Messages and Gmail, and branded “StarStar numbers” can deliver web-based content such as videos, software apps, and electronic coupons to mobile phones.37 Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

Adapting the Three-Step Process for Successful Blogging Planning Writing Completing Evaluate Proofread Tag & Post Content Style & Subject Resource Links Audience Purpose Scope Use a comfortable, personal writing style. Blog audiences don’t want to hear from your company; they want to hear from you. Bear in mind, though, that comfortable does not mean careless. Sloppy writing damages your credibility. Successful blog content also needs to be interesting, valuable to readers, and as brief as possible.49 In addition, although audiences expect you to be knowledgeable in the subject area your blog covers, you don’t need to know everything about a topic. If you don’t have all the information yourself, provide links to other blogs and websites that supply relevant information. In fact, content curation (see page 193) is one of the most valuable aspects of blogging. Finally, make your material easier to find by tagging it with descriptive words. Your readers can then click on these “content labels” to find additional posts on those topics. Tags are usually displayed with each post, and they can also be grouped in a tag cloud display, which shows all the tags in use on your blog. Table 7.2 summarizes a number of suggestions Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

Understanding Business Applications of Blogging Social media hub Project management Internal company news Customer support Public and media relations Recruiting The business applications of blogs include a wide range of internal and external communication tasks. Blogs are a potential solution whenever you have a continuing stream of information to share with an online audience—and particularly when you want the audience to have the opportunity to respond. Here are some of the many ways businesses are using blogs: Social Media Hub - The multiple threads of any social media program should be anchored in a central hub that the company or individual owns and control. Blogs make an ideal social media hub. Project management - Using blogs is a good way to keep project teams up to date, particularly when team members are geographically dispersed. Internal Company news - Companies can use blogs to keep employees informed about general business matters, from facility news to benefit updates. Customer Support - Customer support blogs answer questions, offer tips and advice, and inform customers about new products. Public & Media Relations - Many company employees and executives now share company news with both the general public and journalists via their blogs. Recruiting - Using a blog is a great way to let potential employees know more about your company, the people who work there, and the nature of the company culture. Debbie Weil, Why Your Blog Is the Hub of Social Media Marketing,” Social Media Insights Blog, 12 January 2010 [accessed 31 January 2011] http://debbieweil.com; Ross Dawson, “A List of Business Applications for Blogging in the Enterprise,” Trends in the Living Network blog, 7 July 2009 [accessed 31 January 2011] http://rossdawsonblog.com; Fredrik Wackå, “Six Types of Blogs—A Classification,” CorporateBlogging. Info website, 10 August 2004 [accessed 5 October 2006] www .corporateblogging.info; Stephen Baker, “The Inside Story on Company Blogs,” BusinessWeek 14 February 2006 [accessed 15 February 2006] www.businessweek.com; Jeremy Wright, Blog Marketing (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2006), 45–56; Paul Chaney, “Blogs: Beyond the Hype!” 26 May 2005 [accessed 4 May 2006] http://radiantmarketinggroup.com. Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

Understanding Business Applications of Blogging Policy discussions Crisis communication Market research Brainstorming Word-of-mouth marketing Influencing traditional media coverage news The business applications of blogs include a wide range of internal and external communication tasks. Blogs are a potential solution whenever you have a continuing stream of information to share with an online audience—and particularly when you want the audience to have the opportunity to respond. Here are some of the many ways businesses are using blogs: Policy and Issue Discussions - Executive blogs in particular provide a public forum for discussing legislation, regulations, and other broad issues of interest to an organization. Crisis Communication - Using blogs is an efficient way to provide up-to-the-minute information during emergencies, correct misinformation, or respond to rumors. Market Research - blogs can be a clever mechanism for soliciting feedback from customers and experts in the marketplace. Brainstorming - Online brainstorming via blogs offers a way for people to toss around ideas and build on each others’ contributions. Word-of-Mouth Marketing - Bloggers and microbloggers often make a point of providing links to other blogs and websites that interest them, giving marketers a great opportunity to have their messages spread by enthusiasts. Influencing Traditional News Media Coverage Community Building - Blogging is a great way to connect people with similar interests, and popular bloggers often attract a community of readers who connect with one another through the commenting function. Debbie Weil, Why Your Blog Is the Hub of Social Media Marketing,” Social Media Insights Blog, 12 January 2010 [accessed 31 January 2011] http://debbieweil.com; Ross Dawson, “A List of Business Applications for Blogging in the Enterprise,” Trends in the Living Network blog, 7 July 2009 [accessed 31 January 2011] http://rossdawsonblog.com; Fredrik Wackå, “Six Types of Blogs—A Classification,” CorporateBlogging. Info website, 10 August 2004 [accessed 5 October 2006] www .corporateblogging.info; Stephen Baker, “The Inside Story on Company Blogs,” BusinessWeek 14 February 2006 [accessed 15 February 2006] www.businessweek.com; Jeremy Wright, Blog Marketing (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2006), 45–56; Paul Chaney, “Blogs: Beyond the Hype!” 26 May 2005 [accessed 4 May 2006] http://radiantmarketinggroup.com. Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

Effective Business Blogging Convenient action buttons for printing and social sharing are located directly below the post title. Figure 7.7 Effective Business Blogging This Xerox blog, featuring a post by company executive Will Saunders, illustrates the features that make an effective, reader-friendly company blog. Source: Copyright © 2012 by Xerox Corporation. Reprinted with permission.. The comment box makes it easy for readers to respond to and participate in a conversation about the post topic. Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

Microblogging Character restrictions Short summaries or teasers with links Public microblogs archived with Library of Congress Use hashtag/# to label and facilitate social media integration A microblog is a variation on blogging in which messages are restricted to specific character counts. Twitter (http://twitter.com) is the best known of these systems, but many others exist. Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

Understanding Business Applications of Microblogging Short summaries or teasers with links Company updates Coupons Sale notices Product usage tips Crowdsource questions Retweet, share content Backchannel in meetings and presentations Microblog messages often involve short summaries or teasers that provide links to more information. Like regular blogging, microblogging quickly caught on with business users and is now a mainstream business medium. Microblogs are used for virtually all of the blog applications reviewed. In addition, microblogs are frequently used for providing company updates, offering coupons and notice of sales, presenting tips on product usage, sharing relevant and interesting information from experts, serving as the backchannel in meetings, and interacting with customers individually (see Figure 7.9). As microblogging evolves, the technology is gaining features that continue to enhance its value as a business communication medium. On Twitter, for instance, users have adopted the hashtag (the # symbol followed by a unique term) to help readers track topics of interest. Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

Podcasting Use transitions, previews and reviews Plan content and create an outline or a script Use computer and/or smartphone to record Identify a theme or purpose for a podcast channel Distribute through iTunes, a blog or podcast channel The most obvious use of podcasting is to replace existing audio and video messages, such as one-way teleconferences in which a speaker provides information without expecting to engage in conversation with the listeners. Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

Understanding the Business Applications of Podcasting One-way teleconference Training Marketing Product information Company information (HR) The most obvious use of podcasting is to replace existing audio and video messages, such as one-way teleconferences in which a speaker provides information without expecting to engage in conversation with the listeners. Training is another good use of podcasting; you may have already taken a college course via podcasts. Marketing departments can replace expensive printed brochures with video podcasts that demonstrate new products in action. Sales representatives who travel to meet with potential customers can listen to audio podcasts or view video podcasts to get the latest information on their companies’ products. Human resources departments can offer video tours of their companies to entice new recruits. Podcasts are also an increasingly common feature on blogs, letting audiences listen to or watch recordings of their favorite bloggers. Some services can even transcribe blogs into podcasts and vice versa Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

Summary of Objectives This concludes the PowerPoint presentation on Chapter 7, “Crafting Messages for Electronic Media.” During this presentation, we have accomplished the following learning objectives: Identify the major electronic media used for brief business messages and describe nine compositional modes needed for electronic and social media. Describe the use of social networks in business communication Explain how companies and business professionals can use information and media sharing websites Describe the evolving role of email in business communication and explain how to adapt the three-step writing process to email messages Describe the business benefits of instant messaging (IM) and identify guidelines for effective IM in the workplace Describe the role of blogging and microblogging in business communication today and explain how to adapt the three-step writing process to blogging Explain how to adapt the three-step writing process to podcasting For more information about these topics, refer to Chapter 7 in Excellence in Business Communication. . Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall