Essay On Opinion

Article Information (Bibliography)

Defren, T. (2012). The Benefits of Social Media. Shift Communications. Retrieved from: http://www.shiftcomm.com/2012/12/the-benefits-of-social-media/
Disadvantages of Social Media. (2015). The Research Pedia: Reliable insights for you. Retrieved

Article Synthesis

In the first article, Benefits of Social media, Defren views social media as an effective way for companies to achieve their marketing goals and obtain public relations targets. He also pointed out the faster dissemination of the message to a wider coverage of people compared to other channels. The improved awareness and recognition of company branding is also attained through blogging and collecting of input and feedback when it comes to audience perception and preference. The upsurge of Search engine optimization through Google and Bing combined with the linking of Social Media sites such as, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook also assures critical success in a company’s public relations strategy. Several social media techniques – such as repeated use of common jargon and title tags, ticker symbols, key phrases, or links to blog sites and other applicable Web content – can radically increase search engine rankings. The Research Pedia posted the article, Disadvantages of Social media, to highlight some risks and drawbacks of social media as a tool for entrepreneurial purposes. The most common of which is the hacking of company profiles and accounts which can lead to the more severe offence of identity theft. Another disadvantage is the fabrication of false and misleading ads. While social networking can make a company look impressive, it can tarnish a good reputation with the use of false claims. A viral clip posted on several online sites can ruin the targeted product costing huge damages to a firm. The use of social networks can lead to confidentiality issues when delicate information about clients are accidentally leaked to the public. Negative comments posted by employees can also hurt the business profile, affecting future prospects.

Personal Analysis

Everyone is getting excited about the Social network phenomenon with the upsurge of shared media sites and the hype it has been getting globally. It is true that small businesses and large enterprises alike can use this to have the upper hand in promoting their products and services and to expand the general awareness of the public when it comes to their company profile. But one should not ignore the possible hazards this specific instrument entails particularly the leakage of confidential data, and the security of the network from hackers and internet savvy scammers. While social media can be used to endorse a business and stimulate interest in the public, it can also severely compromise a company’s image by a negative tweet or fraudulent claim gone viral.

I agree with both aspects of the argument because a coin will always have two sides. The social media advantages presented can inspire enhanced ways to connect with clients and expand the coverage of a company’s clientele. But it is also important to know the many risks of social network as a public relations option. The negative aspects can keep the company grounded into the realities of the social media world, and this should be taken as a precaution for businesses. Quality assurance policies should be re-evaluated to include campaigns against hacking or cyber-espionage. Companies should start investing on online security measures and risk management techniques to preserve confidentiality and integrity within the company.