https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89KEGFBKnRo
“Building an online reputation is an act of corporate responsibility,” said Gonzalo Sobral, MBA—a journalist and professor with more than 30 years of experience in journalism and 18 years in digital project management.
The event, titled “How to Improve Your Brand’s or Company’s Digital Communication,” took place on Thursday, September 10, 2015, and was part of the Management and Business Lecture Series organized by the Graduate School of the Faculty of Administration and Social Sciences.
Sobral explained that “whatever you don’t say” will be communicated by someone else. A reputation “takes time and effort” to build, and on social media, it can vanish at an “incredible speed.” For that reason, Sobral stated that social media is an investment that must be nurtured.
The expert recounted that some time ago, while speaking with the president of a Uruguayan public company, he asked him why the organization didn’t have a Twitter account. “I don’t want people insulting me all day long,” the president said. Sobral replied, “They are insulting you; the problem is that you don’t realize it.”
The speaker explained that a company should always “strive to bridge the gap with consumers,” and that it “can do this very effectively” through social media. That is why it is essential to “invest much more in the relationship with the user than in the brand.”
“Social media has changed the way we consume content and interact with brands,” he stated. According to the expert, there are now new consumers, new opportunities, new channels, and new skills needed to tackle the business as usual. Because, in his view, at the end of the day, “the business hasn’t changed.”
While there are many different platforms, the key is to integrate them into the business. “In a way, the currency in this economy is the ability to capture people’s attention. We have to find a way to engage them with our message, build an audience, and ensure our message gets through,” he noted.
He also added that “a proactive approach must be a fundamental part of any marketing strategy that aims to build long-term credibility.”
Despite the unique characteristics of each platform, he recommended including photos and videos—since these are the posts that get shared the most—and noted that it’s best to keep posts short. He also pointed out that original content works best.
Monitor feedback, acknowledge positive comments, and take note of negative ones. Be able to laugh at yourself. Show a lot. Explain little. Be clear, concise, witty, and respectful. Aim to evoke emotion. Use common sense, intuition, and analytical skills—these were some of Sobral’s other suggestions.
The speaker also mentioned community managers. He said they are very important because “they speak for everyone”: “They are the company’s voice to the outside world, and the voice of the customers to the inside.”
He pointed out that many companies delegate this work to interns, which, according to Sobral, can be dangerous. He also said that hiring a company to manage social media can be risky.
In his view, companies should try not to outsource their solutions. “No one understands the brand’s problems as well as you do. Training someone from outside is extremely expensive, and they’re always on the outside—looking at the company’s problems from a great distance,” he said.
According to Sobral, the present is “mobile” and belongs to the “millennials”—that is, the generation born between 1977 and 1995. “The future? Nobody knows.”