4 BIG Disadvantages of Social Media

Its easy to think of social media as a win-win situation for business and consumers, but that fact is simply not true. Businesses and consumers both suffer as a result of social media in some ways.

#1. Differences of opinion

One of the obvious challenges in any customer service job is when there’s a difference of opinion about something. Whether that’s an opinion about how customer service should operate, or how a product should operate. These conversations (While not fun for the customer service rep) are often dealt with by sticking strategically to the policies outlined by the company… BUT… In Web 2.0, where the conversation can be had in public and often un-monitored and hard to control. Consumers can not only defend themselves, and explain their stance but have an audience of consumers also able to view and read and listen in…

#2. Errors and Mistakes

As the old saying goes “To err is human” and it’s very true. Human beings are not perfect, they make mistakes and sometimes those mistakes cause big problems. Big problems like the BP Oil Rig disaster in the Gulf Coast or perhaps like the Toyota Gas Pedal issues.

Human beings are going to make mistakes and when they do, it gets broadcast thru the social and viral media networks faster than your grandma’s gossip chain. My grand parents once came to visit in British Columbia (Mid-1980′s) and started a rumor on the coast. The goal and joke was, to see if the rumor would make it back to Quebec before they got home.

Today, no one would ever make that bet as to whether a rumor could get there… Because it takes seconds, even back then with phone calls, all that was stopping them was a long distance charge… But… Gossip and bad news travel much faster than Good news does. So you can bet Twitter and Facebook are going to be used for that if they’re going to be used for anything a human would…

#3. Mis-Use of Information

Google CEO Eric Schmidt’s comments on privacy in a CNBC interview, where he said, “If you have something that you don’t want anyone to know, maybe you shouldn’t be doing it in the first place.”

Ever made a mistake? Had a few too many drinks at the company christmas party? Social media can destroy you! I’m super glad that cheap digital cameras and social and viral media weren’t available about 10 years ago, because I’m sure I’d never make it online in such a transparent society as we have today.

Think about it this way, unless you wouldn’t mind it on the front page of your local newspaper, I’d say don’t put it on your Facebook, Twitter etc. I actually stick to that and I wouldn’t mind any of the pictures (funny or otherwise) being broadcast publicly.

#4. Distracted Viewers

The great thing about the newspaper in 1955, was that most men after a hard day’s work (or early morning with their coffee) could sit back and read it peacefully.. 100% focused on the material in front of his eyes. There wasn’t often a TV on at the same time or radio going. There wasn’t Twitter, Email, MSN, Facebook, and there wasn’t media being blasted from every corner of creation.

Facebook and other social and viral media platforms contain some of the most distracted folks you’ll ever reach with your message. It’s an excellent tool for branding and exposure because of it’s reach (by that I mean the 500+ million members on Facebook) but it’s a horrible way to get any kind of action.