Digital Marketing Inside Out

Is there one way to get your entire organization behind Digital Marketing and Social Media?

Obviously, it depends on the culture of the company and the desire to engage and connect more, but one of the more obvious ways to make this happen (that so few people talk about) is in creating something that has a social bent and use it only internally for the first little while. Too many pundits will tell you to step into the pubic realm and start small (yes, I’m one of those pundits), but there might be a better, quicker and a more scalable "win" by starting off on the inside.

Ways to make your company more Social Media savvy from the inside out:

• Share and share alike. Set up some kind of Delicious or Google Bookmarks platform so that people on your team (or even the entire company) can start sharing in and tagging all of the great and relevant content for your industry. You can even choose a specific tag for your company to make it easier for individuals to find.
• Podcast. Instead of boring your peers to death with the standard corporate newsletters (either in print or PDF format), change it up and start creating content (audio or video) and release it internally as an audio or video Podcast. Have people submit their questions for the CEO, interview the person who just started and ask them about what they do and why the joined the company. You also have people submit segments or client testimonials. Use the platform to demonstrate your product or service. There are so many ways to do this and get people excited about being a part of your company.
• Wiki it. Use a wiki for product information or news. Allow your team members to collaborate, share and update the information. You can use a wiki for things like explaining common processes (think HR, etc…) or even as a platform to brainstorm new ideas and trends.
• Private Facebook. Most intranets are nothing more than a simple staff directory/listing. Why not find a software (and there are many) that allows you to create more of an online social network, where your team can not only share more information about who they are and their area of expertise, but they can use it to grow their relationships and connect more (in a more human way)?

The sky is the limit.

It’s amazing how many Marketing professionals think about Social Media and immediately focus on the current bright, shiny object, or how the company can best be positioned in the public’s eye instead of figuring out these many media, tools and platforms by bringing them inside and tinkering with them together as a unit.

What are some of the other interesting ways to use Social Media internally as a means to get people active?