Why Internal corporate social media often fails

 I've been thinking a lot about internal social web recently.

Before you embark on any kind of internal social web project I think  it's important to look at why social media especially facebook, linked
in and Twitter is so popular.

1.  No one forces you to use it.
   This might sound like a strange statement but it's true. This is the true power of social media, key word social.
   
   You join because you want to engage with others who are already using it.
   
   
2. Content is King.
   The oldie but goodie statement! if content is good and relevant you will join no matter the platform.
   
   On my personal social media pages I often block and even delete life long friends because of spamming content that is totally irrelevant to me and my daily lives.
   
   I tend to follow strangers due to their interesting content aggregation and views.
   
   
3. Content aggregation.
   I often ignore news and other content because it seems to have no relevance to me.
   
   However when someone else understands it aggregates the multiple sources and presents it in a way that makes it easier to understand it, suddenly it becomes something that seemed irrelevant becomes relevant.
    
4. Platform is Queen
   If content is King then platform Queen. You will be surprised how many people will accept and adopt a difficult to use platform if the content is relevant,  but even the most relevant content will be ignored If the platform is difficult to use and not intuitive.
   
   The adoption rate of a platform is directly proportionate to the difficulty and amount of hurdles a user has to go to, to access the content.
   
   The opposite is also true the easier it is to access is directly proportionate to adoption
   
   For example I can access facebook, linkedin, Twitter etc. Via various websites and mobile aps from anywhere in the world.
   
   Social media sites are now accessed more frequently from mobile devices than that desktop computers.
   
   This blog was written on the train on my way to work on a mobile app.
   
   So to get back to my point, what hurdles hurdles you may ask?
   
   
   
   •  Multiple security logins with forced time based password changes
   • VPN login from outside the office
   • No mobile access, this is probably my biggest pet hate.

Ok I hear you say, "what do I have to do to ensure a successful internal social media adoption?"

1. Leave all your preconceptions of business communications at the door.
   The world has changed. If social media has taught us one thing it's that communications and engagements have changed.
   
     Traditional methods of communications ( newsletters, memo's, posters on the tearoom board and emails) no longer works and the more you force it he less the uptake is
    
2. If you have to force it, you have failed
   The moment you have to force someone to to use a social media platform it ceases to be social media and just becomes another business platform with a declining adoption rate.
   
   
3. Have staff determine the platform to use not the your pre-existing technology.
   Do not have your internal technology determine the platform or format of engagement.
   
   Social Internal networks is all about people interacting in an environment they find comfortable and familiar.
   
   The moment you take them away from the  that environment and thrust them into an unfamiliar difficult to use platform your back on the slippery "forcing them to use it" slope.
   
   Spend some time asking staff how they want to be engaged, what platform they want to be engaged on. 
   
   
4. Test various platforms
   Choosing a platform for social web is probably the next biggest decision you will be making.
   
   And to be honest, as a manager / business leader, you are not the right person to determine the platform.
   
   The people are.
   
   Create a small to medium sizes test group that includes all the gen types (generation X,Y,Z and V). Explain to them what you are trying to achieve and test, test and test.
   
   Once you know how they will interact you are in a much better position to make a decision.
   
   
5. Get a third party in to help with the strategy and implementation
   If you are serious about wanting to succeed with setting up an internal social web, have an external agency come in to asses, evaluate, educate and advise.
   
   No matter how much you think you know about Social Media (if you are not in the social media space), you will only know how you as an individual use social media.
   
   Having a third party come in will open your eyes as to how others use it.
   
   
6. There is no 'one size fits all'
    What will become clear is that there will be no one size fits all communication method.
   
   The most difficult aspect will be to find the balance that will allow everyone to communicate how they want to.
   
   The best way to do this is to determine who the influencers and aggregators are (see point 7)
   
   
7. Don't be afraid of aggregators, embrace, encourage and educate.
   Well not much more need to be said about this.
   
   Determine who they are, embrace them, educate them, trust them and empower them to generate content.
   
   They will very quickly build up a following and magically your internal social media project will become a success.
   
   
8. Ignore mobile access at your own peril.As mentioned above, more people access social media on their mobile devices than via their computers.
   
   If your internal social media platform is not accessible via mobile devices you will be cutting your adoption rate by 60-80% 

In conclusion, the world has changed and if you refuse to change, your business will die around you and become a bureaucratic dinosaur.