Ditching Social Media Is Not A Smart Move For Any Business

https://ift.tt/2qCjNtl

SOURCE: https://ift.tt/2J1Ke2L

The world and Twitter were rocked this morning when the 'news' hit that Wetherspoons (a thirty-nine-year-old pub/bar business with +37,000 employees and around a billion pounds of turnover) decided to leave the various social media platforms they were on. A bold move considering the current climate by a noisy, media-savvy CEO perhaps but saying social doesn't work is nonsense but so is to say social media works for everyone.

Ultimately, we may never know all the reasons for Wetherspoons coming off of Twitter but the reasons given by CEO, Tim Martin (a highly visible pro-Brexit campaigner) could ring true for many CEO's out there - lack of ROI, increased time spent, internal change (and approval) needed, a bottom-less paid media spend budget...the list goes on. Whatever the rationale, the reasoning is problematic.

A Google News or Twitter search shows people calling out Martin for his social media derision in light of the recent email purging of Wetherspoons database and being under investigation for possible overspending and data sharing. All, none or some of this may be true but Martin's move is right in one area - social media is more useful to some businesses than others. All business can use social media, some will get more out of it than others. From different user bases (some will use social media more than others) to verticals and business goals (people just don't talk about some things publically), social media can do a lot of things but it can't help a bad strategy or a business that people don't want to talk about and it could be argued that Wetherspoons have both.

Wetherspoons had over 900 accounts - that's a mammoth task to organise and utilise but I suspect coming off completely will not yield the massive savings or increased revenues the company is dreaming of. Coming off of social media could also have a negative effect. In essence, the company has removed its own tongue. Wetherspoons has fewer ways to talk to consumers, right wrongs and now just has to listen - a costly service in and of itself. How do they tell people when they're doing good work? I guess people will just have to walk into a Wetherspoons... Coming off social media will also damage its SEO and promote parody accounts and detractors thanks to the way the algorithms work.

So will this move make a flood of other brands ditch social media? The short answer is 'no' and the longer answer is 'hell no'. A more considered response would seem sensible for increased customer service burden if nothing else.  Keeping some main accounts and getting a better strategy that works for you would also seem like a more rational move. Social media may be many things (and have many problems) but this move should concern stakeholders as it will increase costs and has increased Wetherspoon's risk of bungling a crisis not lessening it. People like drinking and eating, Wetherspoons not being on won't change that but competitors are Wetherspoons may have just disadvantaged itself again in the war for footfall.

Disclosure: The author used to work for Wetherspoons - as a barman at a local pub - not at Head Office and in no position of power or corporate responsibility.

https://ift.tt/2qCjNtl

SOURCE: https://ift.tt/2J1Ke2L

The world and Twitter were rocked this morning when the 'news' hit that Wetherspoons (a thirty-nine-year-old pub/bar business with +37,000 employees and around a billion pounds of turnover) decided to leave the various social media platforms they were on. A bold move considering the current climate by a noisy, media-savvy CEO perhaps but saying social doesn't work is nonsense but so is to say social media works for everyone.

A Google News or Twitter search shows people calling out Martin for his social media derision in light of the recent email purging of Wetherspoons database and being under investigation for possible overspending and data sharing. All, none or some of this may be true but Martin's move is right in one area - social media is more useful to some businesses than others. All business can use social media, some will get more out of it than others. From different user bases (some will use social media more than others) to verticals and business goals (people just don't talk about some things publically), social media can do a lot of things but it can't help a bad strategy or a business that people don't want to talk about and it could be argued that Wetherspoons have both.

Wetherspoons had over 900 accounts - that's a mammoth task to organise and utilise but I suspect coming off completely will not yield the massive savings or increased revenues the company is dreaming of. Coming off of social media could also have a negative effect. In essence, the company has removed its own tongue. Wetherspoons has fewer ways to talk to consumers, right wrongs and now just has to listen - a costly service in and of itself. How do they tell people when they're doing good work? I guess people will just have to walk into a Wetherspoons... Coming off social media will also damage its SEO and promote parody accounts and detractors thanks to the way the algorithms work.

So will this move make a flood of other brands ditch social media? The short answer is 'no' and the longer answer is 'hell no'. A more considered response would seem sensible for increased customer service burden if nothing else. Keeping some main accounts and getting a better strategy that works for you would also seem like a more rational move. Social media may be many things (and have many problems) but this move should concern stakeholders as it will increase costs and has increased Wetherspoon's risk of bungling a crisis not lessening it. People like drinking and eating, Wetherspoons not being on won't change that but competitors are Wetherspoons may have just disadvantaged itself again in the war for footfall.

Disclosure: The author used to work for Wetherspoons - as a barman at a local pub - not at Head Office and in no position of power or corporate responsibility.

Let's block ads!(Why?)

Read again Ditching Social Media Is Not A Smart Move For Any Business : https://ift.tt/2qAI1U8

Let's block ads! (Why?)