Social Media: Conclusions from Text

Before reading the article, I held the assumptions as those described in the article. For instance, I thought that social media is only for fun, i.e., it is used for posting photos. I also thought that social media is for young people, and that is more of a fad. Although I appreciated the fact that social media is meant for marketing and promotional activities, it has never appeared to me that social media can be used for any serious business function. 

However, my opinion has shifted after treading on the extent to which social media is growing and the manner in which it is revolutionizing the business world (Leggett & King-Reilly, 2020). I agree with the findings by the authors that people are embracing social media across different sectors. That notwithstanding, there is a manner in which social media is supposed to be used. Social media is likened to a forest that is full of money animals. There is a lot of misinformation that can be perpetrated through social media, and this can cause more harm than good. The negative implications should not hinder organizations from using social media platforms to grow their enterprises or advance their agenda (Menczer, 2016). Social media platforms present many opportunities and exhibit more potential for growth in the long run.

The article that I agree most with is “The Social Executive: How to Master Social Media and Why It’s Good for Business now.” The article gives an excellent insight into how connected people are and shows that there has been an exponential growth in the manner in which people use social media. There is still half of the world that has not bought into this; however, there is adequate certainty that they are being brought on board. This is something that most people have experienced, i.e., the increasing level of connectivity across the globe. The new generation may never be aware of the existence of analogue and hard-wired technologies. I agree with the damaging myths about social media, as the article has helped me demystify these myths, which I also held (O’Reilly, 2020). There is so much about social media that anyone who intends to make a milestone in business should embrace it.

O’Reilly’s article is in form of an argumentative essay cutting across social and business aspects. Argumentative essays use facts to make claims. The purpose of such essays is to persuade readers to agree with certain positions of arguments (Spooren, Steen & Stukker, 2016).  The author has used the argumentative approach to answer the various rhetorical questions raised about the impact of social media on their businesses and careers. This format is effective in sharing information with an audience that includes business leaders. Argumentative essays are often based on well researched evidence (Spooren, Steen & Stukker, 2016). Thus, the article provides reliable information about the importance of adopting social media in the business world.  The genre and form chosen by the author were also appropriate as the author was able to strike a balance between business and social genres by highlighting how social media has expanded the sphere of interaction and influence while at the same time providing more business opportunities.

Evidence is used effectively in the article “The Social Executive: How to Master Social Media and Why It’s Good for Business now.” The authorhas incorporated statistics of two different time periods to illustrate how social media has grown over time (O’Reilly,2020). There are also real-world examples used in demystifying the myths held about social media. Although the data used has not been referenced/ attributed to specific sources, there is a sense in which the data is compelling and that the examples given can also be verified from other sources.

The article “The conversation:Misinformation on social media: Can technology save us?” provides important insights into the impact of fake news and false information. It shows that rumors and misleading information can sometimes go viral to an extent of being regarded as reliable information. Just like O’Reilly, the author of this article uses the argumentative essay approach. Menczer’s article derives from analysis of data collected from emergent rumor tracker at Columbia University. As noted earlier on, argumentative essays depend on research evidence. This evidence helps in shaping opinion (Spooren, Steen & Stukker, 2016). Menczer finds this approach useful in sharing useful information with an audience exposed to misinformation. He persuades the audience to be aware of this information, and be prepared to detect it.     

Menczer’s argument on fake news is also advanced by Leggett and King-Reilly (2020) in their article “In the Age of Fake News: Engendering Dialogue and Critical Media Literacy through Culturally Responsive Teaching.” In the article, the authors indicate that it is difficult to differentiate true and reliable information from fake news. Leggett and King-Reilly adopt an exploratory research in their study. They have used the ideas and opinions of other researchers and scholars to conduct a study. It is from the findings of the research that the authors make important claims about the importance of critically analyzing any piece of information in order to determine whether it is reliable. The article is also an argumentative text in a way. Although the authors have borrowed information from previous researches, they have used it to put forward constructive arguments.

Acme Widget should adopt the use of social media. This should be strategically implemented in such a way that the business can avoid the pitfalls that are associated with social media. The organization can implement a social media strategy across its important departments, e.g., marketing (for promotion), human resource (for recruitment), strategic communications, among other purposes.

Although social media is an important tool that can be used to promote business, it is underutilized. Business leaders have a limited view of the platform. They only look at its negative side. Social media is in most cases associated with fake news and false information (O’Reilly, 2020). However, this is not always the case. Sometimes social media can be used to disseminate important business ideas. For example, Acme Widget can use Facebook in advertising its business. It is also important to note that if social media platforms are integrated into the company’s website, it can generate more traffic (Collier, 2020). This will lead to an increase in sales.

Some businesses have successfully used social media for their advantage. An example is LinkedIn Corporation. This is a social networking platform that links employers with job seekers. The business service operates through mobile apps and websites (Keijzer, Noordraven, & Poananga, 2020).  This is just one example of how social media can be used to enhance business growth. Social media helps to generate brand growth within a very short period of time (Collier, 2020). This is due to the fact that the platform is popular among people of different ages. It is in fact one of the cost effective strategies that business leaders need to adopt in their companies.

References

Collier, A. (2020). Social Media for Business — Ways to Grow Your Business. Retrieved from https://blogs.constantcontact.com/why-social-media-marketing/#

Keijzer, C., Noordraven, T., & Poananga, K. (2020). LinkedIn for business: Mastering the art of social branding. Amersfoort: Some Books Uitgeverij.

Leggett, J., & King-Reilly, R. B. (2020). In the Age of Fake News: Engendering Dialogue and Critical Media Literacy through Culturally Responsive Teaching. Currents in Teaching &Learning, 12 (1): 6-18.

Menczer, F. (2016). The conversation:Misinformation on social media: Can technology save us? Retrieved from https://theconversation.com/misinformation-on-social-media-can-technology-save-us-69264.

O’Reilly. (2020). The Social Executive: How to Master Social Media and Why It’s Good for Business. Retrieved from https://www.oreilly.com/library/view/the-social-executive/9780730312901/c01.xhtml

Spooren, W., Steen, G. & Stukker, N. (2016). Genre in Language, Discourse and Cognition. Berlin; Boston: De Gruyter Mouton.