By now, most people involved in marketing, advertising and PR have put aside any skepticism they may have had about social media and are using such online communications vehicles as blogs, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube to reach out to and engage with others.
They’re finally realizing that – as I’ve said before here on this blog — the guaranteed efficacy of a one-way, top-down, interruptive monologue by businesses and bureaucrats is history. And that the era of inclusive, open-ended dialogue between company and constituency is upon us.
Yes, social media appears to be on the verge of going mainstream in more ways than one.
However, what’s still a big challenge for many of those using social media for business is using it correctly, adhering to the unique set of principles that differentiates this discipline from more traditional forms of communications.
For social media to work well, the social media makers themselves need to be transparent and authentic, responsive and generous, credible, conversational and considerate.
Ideally, social media makers need to embrace “the six pillars of character” – trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship – that are so familiar to so many people of all ages and from all walks of life thanks to Michael Josephson and his book, “Making Ethical Decisions.”
Just how important is character in social media today? Very important, in my opinion. Here (in this YouTube video above) are my thoughts about “the six pillars of character” and how each of them pertains to the different ways we carry ourselves in this newfangled world of social media communications…
This “blog post on video” was recorded on January 2, 2010 in Natick, MA. It’s an adaptation of a post I wrote and published on December 28, 2009 called “The Importance of Character in Social Media,” which you can read in its entirety here.
If you can’t see the video on this page, you can check it out on my YouTube channel here.
Bob Cargill is a copywriter, creative director and social media marketer who helps brands to strategize, develop and implement successful new marketing programs. He is available for hire (satisfaction guaranteed) — and for speaking engagements — now. To contact Bob, click here.
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Bob, this is a great video blog! It is very true that while developing your web presence on social media sites is important, you must be seen as a ‘real person’. I learned early on that I need to add in my personality when interacting with people on social media sites. I do this by posting articles that I agree with, writing blogs explaining my passions, and interacting with people directly to get to know them better and vice versa. I agree with the Six Pillars of Character as well. Although this concept seems obvious, I do not think many people follow that. Thanks for the great post!