SXSW: How IBM Uses B2B Social Media
Tue, Mar 16, 2010
Adam Christensen is the social media manager at IBM and we spoke at the SXSW Interactive Conference in Austin TX about IBM’s implementation and uses of B2B social media.
IBM focuses their social media efforts on getting their employees talking outside the firewall to surface their expertise. The idea is that the best way to represent the brand is to showcase its people and their knowledge. Many of their social efforts began internally as a way for employees to learn from others and collaborate, and some of the internal tools even became products offered to the marketplace.
There is a video platform where any employee can upload internal videos and podcasts. They have also done work externally by changing the corporate stereotypes of B2B video. And for those getting started, Adam recommends getting started in social media by proving success on an internal pilot project. Follow Adam on Twitter at @adamclyde.
Thanks to Ryan Boyles, part of the IBM WebSphere Software team, for connecting me with Adam.
Jeffrey L. Cohen is the Managing Editor of SocialMediaB2B.com. Follow Jeff on Twitter at @jeffreylcohen.
Subscribe in your favorite Reader
I’m glad to hear how IBM uses collaborative tools for connecting their employees. We work hard evangelizing corporations on social media, and the benefit it has for internal communication. I think collective intelligence is one of the most important resources a company has and most of them don’t even know it!
I have some articles related with this subject on my blog if anyone is interested!
Glad to be a connector for you and Adam, Jeff. So happy to tell the IBM story with others.
The idea of empowering employees is very interesting. I hope that eventually employees will also be looked at with their own personal brand value and how that can support the company brand. Not just be another number.