So last week I wrote a brief introduction on how the digital image of an individual can make or break a person. Can the same be said about the corporate world and large companies? I believe so and it seems to be apparent that many of these large companies believe the same. To further support my views, a report titled the social media surge by 2012 fortune 500 reveals an increase in adoption of social tools.
Here are some quick facts from the report:
- Corporate Blogging is up 5% from 2011 with 28% of the fortune 500 using it.
- Twitter use is up 11% from 2011 with 73% of the fortune 500 using it
- Facebook use is up 8% from 2011 with 63% of the fortune 500 using it
Exploration
WIth rise of social tools I thought it would be best to explore some great examples of organisational use of Web 2.0 tools. Two that come to mind are Logitech and Google, to analyse these two companies the Wikinomics (Peering, Being Open, Sharing and Acting Global) business model will be used.
Logitech
Logitech is a global provider of personal computer accessories with its headquarters in Switzerland. The company develops and markets products such as peripheral devices for PCs, universal remotes, speakers, headphones and wireless audio devices. Logitech most currently uses a blog, Facebook and Twitter as additional streams to communicate with its audience.
While logitech like many other companies main goal is to drive business sales and at the end of the day to turn a profit, they do try to provide collaborative peering values. A look at there Facebook page suggests the advertisement of their own products but delving in deeper you notice the promotion of external artists, directly questioning its user base on their views and driving conversations outside of logitech’s general scope.
Can bad press be good press? With people more willing to complain about products then to praise products Logitech runs the risk of having complaints plastered all over the web. Instead of ignoring these complaints Logitech tries to be open by directly asking its user base if they have any issues with their products, in a sense taking the bull by the horns, a tactic which has worked very well for them.
Free gifts are always great and sharing is caring. Logitech might not share its trade secrets but to build on its relationship with its consumers they often hold free giveaway events on both Facebook and Twitter, from one of which i scored a free set of headphones yay! There more recent campaign puts you in the draw to win one of over 260 prizes.
FInally with logitech operating in over 100 countries it is truly acting globally, while still targeting regions based on specific demographic needs and wants.
Everyone should know who google is but for those who don’t. Google is an multinational corporation specialising in Internet-related services and products. These include search, cloud computing, software and online advertising technologies. Google uses a multitude of social tools including blogs, Facebook, Twitter and even its own social network Google+.
A fundamental component of Google is the active peering collaboration between Google and the rest of the world. This not only includes society but governments and organisation, providing mutual benefits for both the external party and Google. A great example of this is the Googles Android OS which provides external developers the tools necessary to develop applications at a low cost.
Google products rely predominantly on users taking full use of them. To make this as effective as possible Googles products are created in an open manner. Meaning to say their products are made to allow the broadest user base to exist. In turn Google recognises that openness can assist them to develop groundbreaking technological services. Consider Chromium, Chromium is an open source browser started and funded by Google which has lead to the development of Google Chrome. This platform is an entirely open and shared freely. What it allows is that anyone can go ahead and download the source code and do what they like with it (with minimal restrictions). This openness provides people who may not have had the skills or time necessary to take a well built browser and add, customise or remove functionality to better suit there needs.
Again like Logitech, Google is truly acting global, with offices present in 40 countries and products being used worldwide. This provides Google an opportunity for them to focus on there 10 core beliefs on a larger but more innovative scale.
The End to Another Chapter
So here we are at the end again, we have briefly looked at the shift towards social technologies and explored two great companies that use various Web 2.0 tools to further their potential in the Digital Sphere.
I hope you have an enjoyed the read
Feel free to comment and I’ll see you back here next week!
Dillen
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P.S Click on the Images to go to the owners site’s
Dillen Alahendra 