More companies are using the power of internal social networks to help employees get the news and information they need, as well as other resources critical to doing their jobs.

Social networks connect employees

Some are at the starting line, just jumping into the social media waters. Others have built a global “digital village” for employees who can post updates in a Twitter-like feed, share information with colleagues and receive crucial corporate information that is fed to them daily.

One of these companies is Pfizer, the world’s leading pharmaceutical company. I wrote about Pfizer’s internal network My World last year. This network is truly awesome and it has only expanded its capabilities since then.

Come to Our Social Networks Webinar

I will be co-presenting with Bob Libbey, senior director of Global Colleague Communications and Corporate Social Media, Pfizer Inc., at an HR.com webinar on Tuesday, May 22, at 1 pm, EDT.  You can register by clicking on the title of our presentation: How Internal Social Networks Enable Interacting and Responding to Employee Needs.

I will describe how smaller companies can also establish social networks for their employees by using third-party networks such as LinkedIn, Google+ and Ning.

Bob will explain how Pfizer consolidated more than 400 news and information sites, each with its own look, feel and navigation set-up. In the past year, Pfizer’s My World has attracted 175,000 unique visitors (including outside vendors and consultants) and over 60 million page views.

So I invite you to join us on our webinar to learn how your company can start or expand your employee’s internal social network.

Related articles

• Internal social networking can help employees get engaged (bizjournals.com)

Imagine my surprise as I was about to take my seat on a Delta flight yesterday and walked by “Economy Comfort” seats in the first couple of rows in the economy section. The words were spelled out in large letters on the front of each seat back.

My first thought was, is my seat in the “Economy Uncomfortable” section of the plane?

Delta Has a Branding Problem

What about my comfort?!

Who on earth thought up this name for seats that give you 4 inches more leg room and 50 percent more recline? Over the years airlines have developed various seat configurations and classes of travel — first class, business and economy — to satisfy customers and rake in more money.

But it sends the wrong signal to the passengers in regular economy that they are headed to a seat for a cramped and uncomfortable ride.

Reader reviews are generally positive about these seats (on Delta and partner KLM), but passengers have an expectation of comfort, without having to pay extra for it.

That’s what Delta CEO Richard H. Anderson said in the inflight video that was shown as the plane took off, “…we want your time with us to be comfortable and enjoyable.” Me too, Mr. Anderson.

Companies in the service business often conduct focus groups to test new concepts. If Delta tested names for the these premium economy seats, I’d love to see the results. That’s the danger of focus groups. People tell you what they like and want but it’s not necessarily what they will buy.

Instead of Economy Comfort

Delta, may I suggest that any of these names would have been better choices:

Delta Premium Economy

Delta Upfront Economy

Delta Upgrade Economy

Come to think of it, why brand these seats in big letters for every other economy passenger to see? While not a frequent flyer, I haven’t noticed any lettering on first class, business class or regular economy seats.

Well, you’d think blogging was definitely on the way out for companies, based on a new study, 2012 Inc. 500 Social Media Update.

Although USA Today pretty much wrote off blogging in its coverage of the results, it did quote Scott Monty, head of social media at Ford Motor, as saying that engaging blogs can serve crucial marketing goals — especially executives out to establish expertise in their industry.

CMOs Interviewed

The Center for Marketing Research at the University of Massachusetts surveyed the chief marketing officers of Inc. Magazine’s 500 fastest growing companies to learn how their adoption of social media has changed since 2011.

The big news, according to the study, is that CMOs are turning to new platforms and tools including Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, texting, downloadable mobile apps and Foursquare.

If you study the chart below, you will see that blogging has been increasingly successful as a social media strategy over the past three years, reaching 92% in usage even as its adoption as a social media tool drops. Blogging is still widely used by advertising and communications companies, less so by government agencies. Oddly, this was the first study including LinkedIn, which showed up at 73% usage, just behind Facebook’s 74%, which topped the list.

Companies are reducing their use of message boards, video blogging, podcasting and MySpace. Blogging reached a high of 50% of companies using it in 2009 to 37% in 2011. Companies responded overwhelmingly that the use of social media has been successful for their business.

Of course, social networks have grown in importance. If you’re a consumer company, Facebook is a formidable channel for reaching retail consumers. LinkedIn is corralling the business community.

So why is blogging losing ground? I believe a big reason that companies are blogging less is that it requires a commitment of time. Yet there is no better vehicle for a company to tell its story and for brand building.

Blogging is Here to Stay

Companies, both large and small, need to factor in blogging as an essential tool in their social media arsenal. As I’ve written before, I believe a blog should be the centerpiece of a company’s social media strategy.

Here’s why:

1. Own your content. When you rely on a third-party social network, you are at the mercy of their rules. What a pain in the neck it was when Facebook started company pages. Now you had two information streams to worry about. Recently, they changed their format again with timeline and have just changed the size of the insert in the large image. With your own blog, you can create the content, insert and delete copy, add videos, images and podcasts that promote your company and your products and services – according to your rules. And your content won’t disappear if a social network disappears.
2. Feed social networks. From your home base, you can distribute important information directly to Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and many other social media networks where your customers are forming communities. Post an article, and it is immediately “pinged” to sites of your choice with a link back to your blog. The viral impact of blog post is enormous.
3. Build credibility. A 140-character tweet has its place. But your customers want to know there is a full-service company behind the tweet. A blog will burnish your brand.
4. Collect market intelligence. Readers can leave comments on your blog posts giving you valuable market intelligence and endorsement of your ideas.
5. Attract followers. Visitors can subscribe to your blog. Just think, a built-in audience for your articles, newsletters and surveys on important topics. As your list of subscribers grows, you can begin to sell them products and services directly, bypassing social media networks.
6. Impress Google. Blogs can rank highly in search, unlike static websites, because the content is changing all the time.
7. Engage Employees. Employees can get the complete story from the company about new developments and not third parties.
   

By the way, the most highly ranked blog on the Technorati 100 is The Huffington Post, one of the most influential newspapers, either online or offline.  Most people think it is a website when it’s actually built on a blog platform.

At last count, The Huffington Post’s monthly circulation was 37 million with 1 billion page views, and is must reading for business executives, politicians, entertainers – and other news media who regularly quote from it.

Not bad for a blog.

* with apologies to Mark Twain

The blogosphere is by its very nature a truly global phenomenon. Anyone with an Internet connection can, in theory, access your blog, no matter where they are in the world. But that doesn’t mean they will. To blog for an international audience, you need to make sure your content is appealing and accessible across cultural and linguistic divides.

Target your blog

Christian Arno

On the day The Huffington Post launched its French edition, founder Arianna Huffington said, “While we will be importing the platform, technology, and tools from across the pond, Le Huffington Post will be rooted in French culture and will reflect France’s own unique personality, rich culture, and diversity of voices.”

As with the preceding Canadian and UK versions, the news giant has tailored its French content to appeal to a specific international audience. We can’t all have the resources of Technorati’s current top-rated blog, but we can focus our efforts on markets that are likely to pay dividends.

The exact nature of your blog will help determine where you should start. A blog about soccer will have a wide potential appeal throughout much of the world but may have a more select, niche appeal within the USA. Concentrating on the Major Soccer League (MSL) could help reach that niche audience while in-depth coverage of leagues based in South America or Europe could give you inroads into those markets.

Beppe Grille has proved that a relatively narrow topic does not necessarily rule out an international audience. The Italian activist blogs largely about politics in his homeland but his blog – available in Italian, English and Japanese – has gained a huge international following.

Use simple words

Unless you’re writing a blog on the joys of circumlocution (that’s general wordiness for the non-enthusiasts) it’s a good rule of thumb to keep the language relatively simple and accessible. This is even more important if you’re aiming for an international audience. English is still the single most widely used language online according to Internet World Stats. An English-only blog may attract a limited number of foreign visitors. But if they speak English as a second language, simple words and structures will make things easier to follow.

While English is the most widely used language on the ‘net, it still represents only around a quarter of total usage. To successfully cross over to international audiences you will also need to translate your blog. Using simple language in your original posts will help make this easier.

Consider your translation options

Once you’ve decided which markets to target, you need to decide how to translate your blog There are many automatic translation programs available that offer a quick, free solution. The drawback is that even the best machine translation is prone to contextual errors. They don’t deal well with slang, abbreviations, acronyms and other cultural and linguistic variations. All this can leave parts of your blog looking stilted and amateurish or may even change the meaning entirely.

Enlisting the help of native speaking translators is a better option by far. This will help ensure an accurate translation, retain meaning and nuance and avoid any embarrassing cultural faux pas. Of course, it is more expensive, so you’ll want to choose your languages carefully. You could test the water by translating some of your best posts into a few selected languages. If you find you’re attracting interest, you can go ahead and translate more.

When to post a blog

The best time to update your content is in the morning. This can give your blog an up-to-date feel but can also present a problem when crossing international boundaries and time zones. It makes sense to stagger the times when you publish your international content. Make a schedule based on the relevant time zones and publish your content as the sun comes up all around the globe.

Make use of social media

Social media is an ideal platform for promoting your blog. All the big hitters like Facebook and Twitter have international audiences and settings but it’s worth remembering that local competitors can be every bit as important within their own spheres of influence.

The home-grown Mixi is a massively popular social network in Japan for example, while Russian-based Vkontakte (commonly known as VK) claims to be the largest European social network with more than 100 million active users. In addition, there may be local specialist sites, forums and social networks that are worth checking out depending on the theme of your blog.

Create separate (but linked) profiles on all the relevant social networks. Keep them up to date and be proactive. Don’t just put links to your blog and hope for the best; write guest posts, leave comments and join in the online conversation.

Taking your blog to an international audience can be a lot of time and forward planning. Given the huge potential audiences you can reach, it can be worth every bit of effort you put in in building new relationships and driving potential business.

Christian Arno is the founder of US translation agency Lingo24. Launched in 2001, Lingo24 now has over 170 employees spanning three continents and clients in over sixty countries. In the past twelve months, they have translated over forty million words for businesses in every industry sector, including the likes of MTV and World Bank. Follow Lingo24 on Twitter: @Lingo24.

LinkedIn has matured since I joined in 2005, two years after this social network for business professionals was launched. It’s added many new features – like company pages – and there are now 1.2 Groups, or communities of members with shared interests who can exchange ideas and join discussions.

Now LinkedIn is about to launch two new features for company pages — Targeted Updates and Follower Statistics. While these new features are not yet available to everyone, HubSpot got the inside scoop directly from LinkedIn.

Soon, companies will be able to target status updates on their company pages to specific followers with content relevant to them. Followers can also be segmented by company size, industry, job function, seniority and geography.

Follower Statistics provides insights about follower demographics, engagement levels, update impressions, total following, recent followers, and number of new followers month-to-month.

Here is a video from LinkedIn about Targeted Updates.

My LinkedIn Archive

I’ve written several “how-to”posts about LinkedIn. Assuming you may have missed a few, I’ve compiled a list of the titles and links to the posts. Obviously, there are many more features — and I’ll continue to provide you with updates.

LinkedIn also has a Learning Center where you can find out more about the site’s features. You might want to go take a look.

Here are 10 posts with tips about using LinkedIn.

LinkedIn Adds New Feature to Discover People You May Know

I Was Booted Out of a LinkedIn Group (Don’t Worry, I’m Back)

LinkedIn Enables Message Updates on Company Pages

Generate Live Leads Through LinkedIn

How LinkedIn Changed the Way I Do Business

Are you Guilty of Using Clichés on LinkedIn?

Should You Be a LinkedIn LION?

LinkedIn Sneaks Into Town With StumbleUpon

How to Insert the Name of Your Website into Your LinkedIn Profile

How to Write a LinkedIn Invitation

Please leave a comment below if you’d like to add other LinkedIn features you’ve found useful, or tips to make the LinkedIn experience more valuable to business professionals.

Imagine my surprise when I went to the TED website and typed in a search for presentations about “employee engagement” and up popped the response: “No result matches your query.” How could that be?

So, I figured they must file these talks under “employee communications.” Nope, none about that either. Surely “employee retention” is a serious problem and should be a topic for a TED talk. Nada. Another strikeout with “employee motivation.”

TED’s tagline is Ideas Worth Spreading. It seems to me that a management guru, or academic or corporate luminary must have some ideas about how to engage, communicate with, motivate and retain employees. I can’t believe that employees don’t matter to TED and the audiences who pay to hear their speakers. Why is one of this week’s featured talks about the secret life of plankton more important than a presentation, say, about how to engage and motivate employees for greater productivity?

So I turned to YouTube, where 60 hours of video are uploaded every minute. I wasn’t disappointed. I couldn’t go through every video about employees, of course. But I think you’ll enjoy this one about How to Motivate Employees.

I decided to ask designer and blogging buddy, Dennis Salvatier, this question — having worked with many designers over the years. Here is our conversation.

Jeannette: I’ve worked with many graphic designers over the years. These are designers whose work I’ve really admired. Strangely, though, when working on a project, some designers do not seem to grasp that the objective of the work is usually to sell a product or service. Sometimes, they fall in love with a design and try to sell it to the client even if doesn’t work.

By the way, I love my company logo design and masthead. A designer with whom I’ve worked on other projects created it. And I love your work, Dennis. But why is there this disconnect between design studios and their clients?

Dennis being playful

Dennis: Thanks, Jeannette. The biggest problem with the client/designer relationship is that there is rarely a conversation about the relationship itself. Roles need to be defined before any work is done and that is the responsibility of the designer.

A good designer starts the conversation, but a great designer provides a design brief. This is a short questionnaire that includes questions about the brand, competitors, target market, budget and goals.

Because many people devalue the work of a designer (due to the common misconception that all we do is push buttons on a computer) it’s important for the designer to provide a “terms and agreement” contract that states the designer’s role, the work being done, target date for completion, payment schedule and all the deliverables owed to the client.

These actions show the client that the designer is running a business and is not just a hired hand. He or she brings value to their investment by providing knowledge, skill and consultation. It’s the job of the client to recognize this and respect the terms.

Setting up the relationship in this way would avoid common problems like the client wanting to bypass the designer’s advice and instead wants it done their way, or better yet, consults their spouse because they’re an “expert in design.”

If you hired a designer why the hell do you want to do their job? A designer’s task is to design an effective communication piece based on a brand strategy, not the client’s personal preferences or own personal glory. That’s where the headaches begin.

Dennis' restaurant logo

Jeannette:  This is sound advice. I agree the roles need to be defined. But despite having defined the client/designer relationship, there can be grounds for legitimate disagreement. This is where things can get a little hairy. No offense, but a designer can make the greatest case in the world for a particular design — how it supports the brand, target market, competitors, etc. — but the client doesn’t agree.

Let’s face it. Even designers have their personal biases. The client may feel the design is too “consumer-y” if he works for a B2B company, or — this is going to kill you — he doesn’t believe the colors represent the brand and sincerely believes it. Does the designer fight the client for his design or the colors in the true belief they will work best? How have you handled this kind of issue?

Dennis: The creative process is never without discussion or disagreement. Most clients can’t cut the umbilical cord from their idea. It’s their baby. I get it. But do you want the best for your baby or to instill your ideals and preferences on it?

The way I look at it, you’re paying me to provide a service. My job is to do my job at the best of my ability, keeping your brand’s goals as my priority. I should know, based on the brief, who this is targeted to: B2B or consumers. If my work is hitting the mark and the client still disagrees with me, he or she can call me biased or anything else they like, but I remind the client of the goal and ask why she’s changed her mind.

This happened to me very recently actually, and when I asked that question the client answered, “Well, I was thinking of something different.”

At that point, I asked her if she would like for me to stop providing advice and simply design, based on her preferences, which I would be happy to do. I don’t need to fight clients who are already fighting themselves. I get paid either way.

What I do in those instances is never show that work on my website. All fighting the client does is give him a chance to badmouth me to his network. I’d rather they be happy with work I will never claim and get more referral business.

But I turn the question back to you, Jeannette. You’ve been on both sides of the fence – creatively and as the client. What do you tell the designer when he explains his reasoning for your design and you still don’t like it? Could it be possible that you simply want your way?

Jeannette: That’s a perfectly legitimate question, Dennis. And I do think that a lot of clients have a “God Complex.” They think they know everything and they will make a change simply to show who is boss. I’ve sat on both sides of the table — as a client and a consultant and seen it. (I hope I never did it).

I agree that if the client insists then you have to follow the Golden Rule: “He that has the gold makes the rules.” But it doesn’t serve the client well, as you point out.

Dennis' snowboard design

Not too long ago I was asked to create new copy for a website. Based on our discussion, I submitted a Creative Platform — similar to your questionnaire. We agreed on their brand positioning and I investigated the key words to use. It turns out they wanted to create a new title for the person who manages electronic records in physician offices because they were offering training for that position.

Only problem is no one used that title. No one. Not one search. I couldn’t convince them that they didn’t exist if no one could find them. But they insisted. You know the rest of the story.

So I guess we’re in agreement that the final decision is the client’s. But it still begs the question — how can client and designer meet on some common ground? What are your thoughts on the role of personal chemistry?

Dennis: I think finding common ground, when there’s a difference of opinion, comes down to respect; respect for the designer and their work, and respect for the client as the representative of the brand or company.

I’ve found that my favorite clients to work for are the ones who respect and trust me. They understand that I want to do great work for them, but also know that the work represents me and I would never give them something I wasn’t proud of.

The creative process is all about communication, and my favorite clients are the ones that constantly keep me in the loop and give me a heads up when things on their end will affect our work together. For example, I have a term in my contract that states that if I do not hear back from you within three business days, I have the right to terminate the project and keep the deposit.

Seems harsh, right? Well, I’ve had past clients who went off the radar for months without explanation and kept me from taking on new business because I was still taking care of theirs. When they reappeared after a long time, they demanded the work be completed immediately with a complete disregard of my current clients. It’s not fair to leave a designer hanging when earning their fee depends on your feedback and approval, so I had to include that clause to avoid these problems.

Luckily, I have some really considerate clients who call me when something comes up like a vacation, emergency or any other reason that prevents them from moving forward at that moment. They notify me and I make arrangements with them. If there isn’t honest communication between both parties, there will be problems. Wouldn’t you agree?

Jeannette:  I think the operative words here are “respect” and “trust.” There has to be mutual respect and trust that the designer will do his best work, within the goals of a campaign. In turn, the designer needs to respect that the client is constantly adding new information based on the dynamics of his company’s business.

In the agency business there is a saying, “We have to know the client’s business as well as he does.” That’s impossible. You can hang up the phone with the designer, and five minutes later the client could learn about some new development that will impact a campaign and its design.

Volkswagen Think Small Ad

There needs to be what I call a constant “communication loop,” circling the designer and client. If there is a breakdown in that loop then things will start going wrong. I’m glad that you see it in the same way. I think we’re beginning to get somewhere! One last question: how should designers and copywriters work together? What makes for a successful, collaborative relationship?

Dennis: Agree that things can change, but for the most part, the client should be prepared with copy and any special images for the designer to begin working. Copy can change, and it will, but it’s necessary to have something semi-finalized in order for the designer to create a layout that can be worked with.

But to answer your last question, I think copywriters and designers have the same goal: a successful and clear message. Of course, egos can get in the way, but it’s very important to have a brainstorming session where both sides can be heard and a partnership can be created. Idea after idea will be thrown around and some will be good and some will be awful, but a successful collaboration will start with (again) respect and working together.

Back in the 60′s, Doyle Dane Bernbach (DDB) was the first ad agency that realized that designers and copywriters needed to be in one creative department. The result was more finely tuned work. Their “Think Small” campaign for Volkswagen single-handedly cemented that brand into the American consciousness, and it’s all due to designers and copywriters working together. Mad Men on AMC is a great example of this kind of teamwork.

Jeannette: Final word — as a writer I’ve often deferred to the designer to create the basic concept and layout first. I know it’s sort of chicken and egg — which comes first. But, as you say, if the designer and writer are in the same room, depending on the campaign’s objective, they may decide that the website, ad or brochure should be copy heavy or design heavy.

Referring to your (DDB) example, you may recall that the “Think Small” campaign featured an image of a Volkswagen with barely any copy. The design and image were key. On the other hand, John Caples’ iconic ad “They Laughed When I Sat Down at the Piano, but When I Started To Play!” definitively showed that consumers will read very long copy if it’s compelling and they are interested in the subject.

John Caples' iconic long-copy ad

We’ve covered a lot of ground here, Dennis. But I think we’ve both answered my question of how to solve the problem of any disconnect between designer and client. The relationship must be built on respect and trust. Why is that not surprising?!

Dennis Salvatier is an award winning graphic designer and illustrator for Salvatier Studios, an independent creative services studio that specializes in brand identity design and illustration in Los Angeles, CA. In his spare time he blogs, illustrates, collects comic books and spends time with his wife.

LinkedIn is making it easier for you to find potential connections with a new feature it calls Discover People You May Know. From your home page you can add a connection, click through to learn more about someone you may know, or view a full list of recommendations. You can learn more in this short video.

I didn’t even realize it until I went to post a discussion and I received the startling message that I had been “banned” from Linked: HR, the largest HR group on LinkedIn.

Yikes. What did I do wrong?  I wrote to one of the Group’s administrator to ask why and beg forgiveness. He was very nice and wrote back that it had happened a couple of months ago and no one knew why, so he was readmitting me.

Be Careful What You Post

I don’t know why either, but I lately I have received several detailed emails from administrators sent to all Group members. They are clamping down on spam, inappropriate discussions or Promotions that are mistakenly placed in Discussions and vice versa.

LinkedIn has expanded tremendously in the past couple of years and there are growing complaints about the amount of spam that people are posting. I’ve seen discussions where people have posted comments that had nothing to do with the topic – like how to make a quick buck with their get-rich-scheme. These are deleted  immediately but it angers members and creates more work for the group administrators.

Building Relationships

While many of us are using social networks to build our brands and business, it’s important to remember that first we need to build relationships. We do that by posting content that adds value to our  groups: how to do something, a list of resources, or solutions to problems. Sure, we can brag about an award we won — in our own updates.

I am very active in the Blog Zone’s subgroup, Bloggers Helping Bloggers. A small core of us regularly comment on each other’s posts and offer advice to each other on blogging. I’ve never met any of them, but they’ve become friends and I know there has been business referred by and to members.

One member, Dennis Salvatier, is a terrific designer and also a blogger. He and are collaborating on a post that will appear next week in this space.

What Not to Do

I’ve become very cautious about the content I post to LinkedIn Groups. I’ve also cut down on the number of groups I belong to so I can become more actively engaged with members. I’ve learned a lesson. If you don’t want to get the boot from a LinkedIn Group follow these simple rules:

• Post content that is appropriate to the Group. If it’s a technology group, don’t post your content about how to use a consumer product.
• Start discussions about real issues in an industry or a problem that you know others are facing. I was the Top Influencer of the Week for four straight weeks when I started a discussion in a human resources group about why companies treated laid off employee like criminals, escorting them from the premises. That got a ton of comments with people sharing ideas about how to do it better.
• Post your content in the right place. Most groups are very strict about not allowing promotional content in Discussions. It will be deleted. As the rules for Small Biz Nation state: “Discussions must be relevant to the thread. If it is obvious that the post is spam or self-promotion, the post will be removed.” Most groups use the Promotions tab for posts about events, webinars, and services.

It’s a simple formula, really. Follow the rules, make friends, and don’t annoy LinkedIn group administrators.

A few posts ago I wrote about an infographic from copyblogger that listed 20 ways to find inspiration for your next blog post when you don’t have a clue what to write. I don’t ordinarily publish a blog late on a Saturday night. But I’d like to add a 21st idea that I’ll reveal momentarily.

The weather has been gorgeous in New York and those of us who live here have heaved a sigh of relief that we had such a mild winter compared to last year’s piles of snow and freezing temperatures. I took a long walk and when I entered my apartment lobby I was enchanted by the vase of flowers — they are changed every week. I took out my iPhone and snapped a photo. Of course, if I lived in the ‘burbs the image would be of a flower bed in my back yard. But this bouquet is inspiration enough for me.

So tip number 21: blog about something that makes you happy.