The Globe And Mail – Report On Business Features Social Media And Michael Seaton

Today’s edition of The Globe And Mail has an article titled, Big Business Climbs Aboard Social Media Bandwagon, in the Report On Business section. The article was written by Ian Harvey and features a handful of quotes from Michael Seaton (Scotiabank and The Client Side – full disclosure: Scotiabank is a client of Twist Image).
Here’s a sample of the article:
“Yet participants in social media communities are not naive. What a business brings to the party can often determine whether the audience will gravitate toward its space. Businesses are finding that worthy on-line content – often humorous or intellectual – is the equivalent of the proverbial beer keg.
‘It’s not about crashing the party for business,’ said Michael Seaton, director of digital media at Bank of Nova Scotia who maintains a blog at theclientside.blogspot.com. ‘Because when business shows up in the social media space, it could be like your parents coming home early. Far better to get an invitation.’
Scotiabank has had some success building an on-line community with a million subscribers to its monthly e-mail. The next step is to parlay that into an interactive on-line community. But there are still some wrinkles to be worked out.”
Mainstream media has a job to do – which is to poke holes in all new opportunities and see what leaks out. After reading this article, one idea stuck out: any new form of media will be challenged by the traditional ones. Whether it’s fear or skepticism. But, when it comes to social media, how do you create holes in something that we’re all a part of? The minute you comment on a Blog, share a picture with friends on Flickr or watch a video on YouTube, you’re a part of the social media fabric.
Why wouldn’t businesses want to be a part of social media? And that’s the point that Harvey drives home properly… it’s not about diving in head first. It’s all about dipping your toe in and feeling what the water’s like.
You can read the full article here: The Globe And Mail – Report On Business – Big Business Climbs Aboard Social Media Bandwagon.