Putting social media to work: a comparative analysis of how businesses are incorporating social media
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Date
2012-12-18
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Towson University. Department of Mass Communication and Communication Studies
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Citation of Original Publication
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Copyright protected, all rights reserved.
There are no restrictions on access to this document. An internet release form signed by the author to display this document online is on file with Towson University Special Collections and Archives.
There are no restrictions on access to this document. An internet release form signed by the author to display this document online is on file with Towson University Special Collections and Archives.
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Abstract
Social media are emerging as a new form of communication that needs to be integrated into existing communication plans within organizations. In this study, an analysis of 85 pieces of content gathered from business publications, newspapers, magazines, blogs, and websites were analyzed to identify how the news media is presenting social media to business owners. A series of in-depth interviews were conducted with 10 local business owners to obtain information on where they turn to get inspiration on how to use social media for their businesses. A comparative analysis was conducted with the information obtained in the interviews and content analysis. Both business owner and news media agree that using social media in the workplace is beneficial as a marketing too, as well as to connect with potential and existing customers. However, no participant of this study reported consulting news articles for inspiration on how to use the tools.