Summary
There is no question that social media has changed the world in many ways. In the business world, that means that using social media as a public relations and advertising artform has now become the norm. However, one needs to understand that doing so must be done carefully. There is a way to do it and a way not to do it. This means using humor, pizzazz and deftness when using the medium. However, going too far with joke sand otherwise being tone deaf when it comes to ne market is less than wise. It takes someone that understands that social marketplace in terms of what works, what does not and why. A good many of the people that make use of the medium are on the younger side. However, even some people in the Generation X and Baby Boomers know the score.
One has to understand that social media is one of the new advertising mediums. Physical newspapers, magazines and radio are certainly not “dead” when it comes to advertising. Television and other more dated technologies and options also still work, if done correctly. However, social media and other modern electronic are more efficient, less costly and more targeted than the prior forms of advertising and public relations just mentioned. The other side of that proverbial coin would be that mistakes and miscues travel a lot further. Even if one thinks that they know where the line between humor and “egg on the face” happens to be, that simply might not be true. The SWOT and literature review contained in the main report helps to illustrate the options that exist, what is best to do, what is best to avoid and the other lessons that should be learned when it comes to the social media sphere. As indicated in the report, the lesson to be learned will center on how they apply to the hospitality industry. There are commonalities between that industry and others. However, there are unique lessons and applications that the hospitality industry must know.
