Week 1b: Business and Personal Use of Social Media

Social media is a funny thing in that there's not much separating business-oriented profiles from personal ones. Facebook may seem like a very personal platform, but if you remove any form of individual identity from the content, it can become more promotional and business-oriented. In order to keep that separation intact, one must be sure to never hint at the person behind the page.

For example, the various MiraCosta social media pages are all run by two people. Can you name either of these people? More so, can you differentiate between the two writing styles and tell which is which? Can you tell if the people who run the page are male or female? If you can, that's a sign that too much individuality is coming through, and it distracts from the identity of the college. A good social media page should make you feel as though the business as a whole is talking to you, rather than just a representative. The most successful companies on social media make you feel as though the business has its own personality; it jokes with its followers, it apologizes when things go wrong, it celebrates promotions and events. This should all be seen as genuine, and not as a marketing tool designed to manipulate.

In conclusion, there really are no platforms specifically for personal or business use. It all depends on how well the social media representatives can hide their identity and take on the persona of the business as a whole.