In today's connected world, it's increasingly imperative for all organisations to be actively aware of social media, even if they have no wish to participate in it themselves, says Tallulah Habib, social media strategist at ITWeb.
"Social media can present many dangers. Incorrectly drawn-up internal policies can result in lawsuits. External security threats can bring down an entire business," says Habib. "But, for every danger, there are also many benefits to the business," she adds.
"A mistake many organisations still make is thinking of social media as a technology limited to marketing a brand. Instead, it should be seen as a definite business driver, encompassing a wide range of applications that can up productivity and impact the bottom line for both B2B and B2C enterprises.
"Companies that continue to view social media platforms merely as an extension to their marketing footprints are missing a significant opportunity to build new revenue streams," adds Habib.
ITWeb will present its third annual social media conference, in Johannesburg, in June. The event will once again be geared towards a valuable learning experience, with high-level talks, practical case studies, interactive discussions and extensive networking opportunities. The overall focus of the summit will be to assist companies in identifying the areas where social media can add value and develop an implementation strategy around these.
A call for papers has been issued for the ITWeb Social Media Summit 2014. Experts in social media and related fields are invited to share their experience and knowledge. Proposals should preferably include a strong case study, as well as either business or technology insights relevant to the local and African markets.
Topics under discussion at the conference this year will include updates on the local social media landscape, how to re-invent the business for a social media world, social media beyond marketing, social business intelligence, the impact of relevant legislation such as POPI on social media, and constructing a social media policy.
The closing date for speaker submissions is Monday 31 March. Click here to find out more about the ITWeb Social Media Summit 2014 and to submit a speaker proposal for consideration.
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