social media research project for corning incorporated

8/8/2019 Social Media Research Project for Corning Incorporated

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Social Media Use Among Corporations

How Corning Incorporated Can Join the ConversationBy Ruth Harper

Objective

The projects goal is to understand current trends in corporate use of social media toolsas a part of external communications programs. Rigorous research was key in collectingdata, identifying trends, and ultimately offering recommendations on how Corning canpotentially use these tools.

Methodology

The first course of action was to identify suitable benchmark companies. GivenCornings business-to-business (B-to-B) nature, it was determined comparisoncompanies should also be B-to-B, or at least have a strong B-to-B component. It was also

vital to include various-sized companies, while focusing on those similar or larger toCorning because the number of employees and resources within each company plays acritical role in a companys approach to social media. Ten benchmark companies wereselected in counsel with Kelli Hopp-Michlosky and Beth Dombroski.

Data was collected using Google and other search engines, exploring company Websites, searching social media tool Web sites, and conducting telephone and e-mailinterviews with company representatives. Although most information could be foundthrough online research, speaking with a representative proved especially useful inlearning the companys thoughts and strategies for social media engagement.

All company background and research data is included with this summary. Corning wasalso analyzed via the same tactics to formulate a true comparison for recommendations.

Findings

Realization #1: There is no set model needs determine use.

Glancing at all of the companies together, one will quickly see that no two have exactlythe same social media presence, just as no two companies have exactly the samecorporate culture. Texas Instruments does not have an official Facebook fan page, but ithas seven blogs. On the other hand, 3M business units have Facebook pages but noblogs. To really understand, one could simply look at the numbers. All companiesstudied have at least one RSS feed. Three of the 10 companies have official corporateFacebook pages, while seven of the 10 companies have some kind of external companyblog(s). Two of the 10 companies do not have a corporate Twitter account. Half of thecompanies have verified internal blogs.

Realization #2: Targeting is key.


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The benchmarked companies have different social media presences because they haveunique messages for distinct target audiences. IBM and Sun Microsystems want to reachout to customers and technology-oriented consumers, while Boeing is much moreinterested in investors and the media.

Companies that decide to engage in social media should know their target audiences.Social media isnt about registering for a Facebook fan page or creating a Second Life(SL) island just because everyone else is. It is a proactive method for companies tocommunicate with certain selected audiences, and it requires both strategy andflexibility. Successful companies have social media plans and target audiences, but theyare willing to change and grow when new technologies would help them reach theiraudiences.

For example, as computer technology-based companies, Sun Microsystems and CiscoSystems became involved with SL because they knew customers and employees wouldmost likely be interested in virtual worlds. While SL continues to work well for thesecompanies, its not such a good fit for companies like Boeing or 3M that can reach alarger portion of their audiences through tools like blogs and Twitter.

Even within a company, different tools will resonate with different audiences. Ciscomight use SL to reach tech-savvy employees, but a regularly updated blog is a better toolfor a reporter interested in keeping up with Ciscos latest news. In addition, the sametype of tool can have multiple audiences, like General Electrics blogs. The GE Reportsblog is geared toward those more interested in general company news, while the GEGlobal Research Center blog aims more at the technological crowd. Also, GE and 3M useexternal social media tools, like Facebook and YouTube, for specific businesses,campaigns, or products, not necessarily corporate-wide promotion.

To continue even further, measuring target markets also differs from company tocompany. While larger business-to-consumer (B-to-C) companies may desire to have asmany average consumers read their blogs as possible, B-to-B companies may not be asconcerned with sheer numbers. For Boeing, its not quantity but quality that mattersmost. Boeing benefits from having just 25 key journalists and investors regularlyreading its blog, and the company currently does not need to reach out to everydayconsumers.

Realization #3: New media does not mean new values.

Although social media is relatively new and has already altered how people receive

media, a companys key messages and principles remain the same, and a companyshould not change what is already in place and working. The most successful companiesresearched in this study used social media as a supplement for communications efforts,not as a replacement.

Cisco Systems and 3M have media relations employees who use Twitter to connect withmedia professionals. However, representatives from both companies stressed theimportance of maintaining and relying on telephone conversations or meetings in-


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person. While these tools help 3M and Cisco Systems communicate with journalists,these companies continue to maintain traditional Web sites and press releases. Theyknow, especially when it comes to building relationships, nothing beats face-to-faceconversation.

Recommendations

First, although Corning needs to become involved with social media, it doesnt need tofeel pressured to jump in too quickly before preparing. Planning how it becomesinvolved may take time and may be more of an evolution than a revolution. However, asCorning becomes more involved, it should be able to react quickly to participants.

Corning should go the route of most involved companies studied and begin testinglarger social media efforts internally with employees. At least five of the 10benchmarked companies have some type of internal blog, and many, like IBM, usedsocial media internally before bringing it to the public. Corning could also increaseinternal social media opportunities and monitor to see what the company can learnfrom these experiences before extending outward. Its also important for Corning to helpemployees, especially legal and IT teams, learn whats normal and OK with social mediatools. It might also be a good idea to create a social media plan for dealing with negativecomments and crisis situations, as some large companies like IBM and TexasInstruments have or are working to create.

Externally, Cornings Facebook page and YouTube channel are a good start,and,because Corning is a B-to-B company, it might want to take a look at some otheradvantageous, yet relatively low-risk, tools like implementing social bookmarkingoptions, offering more RSS feeds, and creating a Twitter account. When Corning feelscomfortable, a company blog could also prove advantageous.

Asocial bookmarking or Share option on press releases and within Cornings Web sitecould attract friends of those who pay attention to Corning, helping Corning spread theword to and develop relationships with investors and the technology community.Although Corning currently has RSS feeds available for investor information,implementing more would allow those interested in specific topics to receive instantnotification when sites are updated or articles are added. More RSS feeds forwww.corning.comcontent is on Cornings list of improvements for 2009.

Out of all social media tools discussed in this report, Twitter is the newest and fastest-growing. Boeing was the only company with absolutely no official Twitter involvement.

While 3M does not have a corporate Twitter account, different 3M individuals andorganizations tweet on behalf of their department or product line. Some companies, likeDow Corning, use Twitter exclusively to feed press releases. Most of the companies,however, are learning to master the tool by using it to not only post press releases, butalso to share interesting articles and to engage in conversation with media members,employees, analysts, investors, partners, potential customers, and others.
http://www.corning.com/http://www.corning.com/http://www.corning.com/


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If Corning decides to join Twitter, it should decide if it wishes to join on a corporatelevel or if it would be better to have employees or business unit representatives tweet inthe companys name. Of course, Corning could always do both like most of thebenchmarked companies.

Either way Corning decides to go, it is probably a good idea to start slowly, perhaps byfollowing a few tweeple and just watching to see how it all works. Once comfortable,Corning could begin attracting more followers by placing its Twitter address on pressreleases, the company Web site, the Intranet, company newsletters, or even directoryWeb sites, likewww.wefollow.com. Of course, it doesnt have to promote the siteeverywhere; once a few people know it exists, more followers will come. Twitter andsocial media in general is a very grassroots-oriented, organic world where the rightidea can spread quickly.

An external company blog would be next. It could help Corning appear moreapproachable to its audience and share interesting stories and points-of-view from thoseinside something people cant often get through news releases. For example, Boeingmaintains a blog to provide context and a more-personal touch to its hard news releases,and IBMs Inside Scoop blog allows the world to learn about IBM throughunderstanding people involved with the company. However, Corning doesnt need tohave a serious, hard-news blog; something creative would probably be more interesting,create more buzz, and entice more people to participate. For example, Corning couldhave an HR blog about why people like their jobs at Corning. Or Corning could have ablog or forum on an element loosely related that would generate conversation, like whatpeople were doing when the Apollo 11 space shuttle, equipped with Corning windows,landed on the moon or how scientists use Corning Life Sciences products to develop newdrugs.

Also, those concerned about readers posting negative comments need not worry toomuch; comments can be moderated and can require approval before appearing to thepublic. Most companies researched moderate comments but post negative commentsanyway because they understand certain unwritten ethics exist in the social mediaworld, a world of transparency and openness. So, if Corning received a negativecomment, it should probably still post the comment; however, seeing a negativecomment before the public would allow Corning a little more time to think beforereacting or responding. Its important to realize communicators can not so much controlthe message with social media, but if they act properly, they can steer conversations intheir own direction.

In the end, other companies policies and strategies shouldntbe used as strictguidelines because every company will be different. Corning and its businesses need todetermine what messages need to be communicated to the audiences that use socialmedia. Corning needs to go where its audiences are. Upon understanding the target, thereal conversation begins a conversation about the people who work at and make upthe company, not just the corporate machine itself.
http://www.wefollow.com/http://www.wefollow.com/http://www.wefollow.com/http://www.wefollow.com/


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*Note: Company profiles, works cited, screenshots and other detailed information have been omitted from thisreport but are available upon request.

social media research project for corning incorporated

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