Oklahoma businesses use social media to spread news, attract customers, stay connected

Experts say social media technology isn’t just a toy for 20-something narcissists, but a tool for successful professionals of any age to build loyal customers, attract employees and boost morale.

And startups nationwide are embracing Web 2.0 technology as a growth mechanism. The State Chamber and Remington Park have hopped on the bandwagon. Even the Oklahoma AARP has a Facebook equivalent.

"It’s similar to the real world, just online,” said Ryan Hukill, 37. "If you’re interesting in some way, people will want to get to know you. I don’t have to hard-sell anything. People are coming to me and I’m building relationships with them.”

Such technology represents an "e-ruption” in business, politics and more, said Matthew Fraser, co-author of "Throwing Sheep in the Boardroom: How Online Social Networking Will Transform Your Life, Work and World.”

The term Web 2.0 was coined at an industry conference in 2004 to signify transformation of the Internet from a "push” medium to a social networking platform, Fraser said in a recent interview with The Oklahoman.

"It’s many to many, and continuous,” he said. "Social networking empowers employees and customers with a voice. It provides an open platform for senior executives, even CEOs, to stay connected to employees, and get bottom-up feedback. And it makes it easier for organizations to invite customer input, thus blurring the line between producer and consumer.”

Lindsay Laird, an account executive with Saxum Public Relations, on Twitter sets up alerts for company names and certain other words, and if messages mention her clients, she forwards them as a quasi help line. She’s re-tweeted service complaints and kudos.

"For example, someone twittered they were proud their provider made a $100,000 donation to a Del City Christian school,” Laird said. "The cool thing is all her followers saw what she said.”

OPUBCO Communications Group uses social media tools in its marketing and news-gathering operations. Reporters and editors in the newsroom use Twitter to interact with the community, and there is an account for NewsOK news updates.

"We have found it especially useful as a tool during breaking news events,” said digital managing editor Alan Herzberger. "We are able to deliver information to our readers via Twitter immediately while allowing them to participate in real-time conversations on NewsOK.com.”

At The State Chamber, Web site manager Laura Wheeler Twitters Chief Executive Dick Rush’s Friday briefings and about other relevant news such as webinars on the Employee Free Choice Act and conferences on nanotechnology.

"We want to educate young people on what the chamber does,” Wheeler said. So far, it has 217 followers on Twitter.

At Remington Park, marketing director Sharon Lair recently Twittered about the park’s free training on how to read programs and place bets, and met its 20-person class limit for the first time.

An intern from the University of Central Oklahoma devotes 20 hours weekly solely to upload things such as winners, pictures and other information to the park’s Twitter, MySpace and Facebook accounts.

"It’s like we have a big Kumbaya thing going on,” Lair said.

Meanwhile, Shawnee-based Wolf Gugler & Associates executive search firm and the AARP are tapping Web 2.0 to find senior managers and raise seniors’ awareness.

Also, the AARP six months ago launched a Facebook equivalent on its Web site.

"It’s another way to communicate with our 442,000 members across the state,” said Craig Davis, associate state director.

The association especially wants to educate members ages 50 to 64 on health care reform issues, Davis said.

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