Does social media really make a difference?

The simple answer is yes and there are some great examples of when social media has made a difference but not always in a positive way...

It's easy to forget that social media is about having a conversation with potentially huge audiences and not just one way communication; the right tweet on the right day with a hot topic can send your hit rate soaring.

The Marketer magazine references one very clear example when social media backfired for British Gas back in October 2013 when the UK’s largest gas supplier, announced price rises of 10.4 per cent for gas and 8.4 per cent for electricity. The same afternoon, the firm’s customer service director agreed to run a question and answer session on the @BritishGas Twitter account. Unfortunately for British Gas, it backfired when its #AskBG hashtag was hijacked by Twitterers who were angry at the price rises. Tweets included: “What shall I burn first to keep warm this winter? Wardrobe or dining table?”.

In social media timing and internal communication is critical to make sure you avoid falling into a similar trap!