A lot of company’s are starting to blog, but why can’t their blog also be on their website? Smart brands are engaging with their customers online and I feel this is extremely important.

It is interesting to think about these questions from a students view. We are not employed yet so we really see all of this from a consumer standpoint.

1. The “conversation” is not taking place on corporate web sites. Where is it happening?
On whatever the consumer finds fits his/her needs. E.g. I don’t blog but I microblog and FB because I don’t have time to write and keep up a blog. Horses for courses.

2. How much more “micro” will content get? Can we get by with fewer than 140 characters? Can you communicate anything of substance in a 12-second video (by using 12seconds.tv)? What other examples of the microsizing of content are there?
Let me pose another question: How much smaller can a mobile phone screen get before it is counter-productive? Notice the screens getting bigger nowadays? ;P

3. Are large companies learning to master social media to regain control of their brands, or is the time for that long past?
I think companies need to master social media in order to stay relevant to their customers and trends. Question of survival and getting ahead in the game. Granted some corporates are abusing or going about it the wrong way i.e. they just don’t get it.

4. Are there too many social sites and services for a user to maintain, or has some consolidation made this easier?
Yes and yes. Some of the consolidation tools, while not the sole domain of corporates, do help cut down time to update. E.g. ping.fm. More would be welcome.

5. Are sites like GetSatisfaction offering a genuine alternative to traditional customer support, or are they just a way for companies to release themselves from the responsibility of after-the-sale support?
The outsourcing debate continues…

6. Facebook did it again with its TOS flip-flop (think back to the Beacon debacle), raising concerns among users and advocacy groups that social networks may not be adequately protecting consumers. Do socnet operators have users’ best interests at heart, or are they influenced by the almighty dollar to “do the wrong thing”?
No one owes anyone to do the right thing on the web or anywhere else offline. That’s why true ethics, respectful IP policies and legit biz practices are worth their weight in gold. Every entity makes a concious choice how they want to run their biz and should be prepared to face the repercussions.

7. Very few attempts at enacting social media specific legislation have been successful. Why is this? Will we start to see social media laws, requiring more transparency on the part of advertisers for example?
Let the community police itself as it sees fit - sometimes policy stifles motivation, creates suspicion and is counter productive in the big scheme of things.

8. Do businesses expect to evaluate social media success with traditional measures like revenue, margins and leads, or are “softer” measures like engagement and brand awareness adequate return on social media investment?
Traditional measurements for extraordinary medium? I don’t think so. We need to figure out something that makes sense and captures the emotions of social media responses - as it translates into meaningful biz metrics. I think we are closer that we first started, we leaned on current online web metrics but have to customise it more in a way that makes sense to each business/org that uses it.

9. Is executive blogging passé? Are corporate communicators writing blogs on behalf of CEOs and other senior executives?

If done well, it will still have a strong place. Esp if the CEO or leader is iconic offline in the first place. I think corporate blogging in place of ‘CEO’ blogging is a more moniker. How many credible CEOs are left? The currency of trust has been eroded by many of these CEOs.

10. Do consumers trust social media? With the frequent social media hoaxes, like the case of the fake ExxonMobil account on Twitter, do we need better ways to authenticate corporate social media?
Are corporate websites being authenticated? Should they? As with anything online, a certification body is helpful e.g. Trust.sg but has a site that did not have that mark detered a determined consumer from seeking what they wanted? Caveat emptor - let the buyer beware. Also - see #7.

Derrick Koh
Communications Manager, Lenovo

Thank you for posing all of these questions. They really made me think about the world of social media!

And back to #2… just ran out of attention. Hope 5 answers will help you

Cheers.