The next generation of social media experts:  Should we be afraid? 

In the countdown to next Friday, Stephen King’s Children of the Corn seems a fitting ghost story for PR Camp Atlanta’s second session devoted to managing the social media skills of young PR and marketing professionals.

In King’s “adult nightmare,” a town of teenagers terrorizes an unsuspecting adult couple who later fall victim to  a mysterious massive force in the cornfield. Young professionals are not of course demons, but they do seem to be taking over and they’re using the massive power of social media to do it.   

They are a force we can’t ignore.  70 million strong, Generation Y by 2010 will outnumber Baby Boomers, and 96 percent of them have joined a social network.  And the first wave is bringing social media to the workplace.

Threat or opportunity for those over 30?  It depends on your perspective and your willingness to embrace change.  One thing is clear,  Gen Y approaches social media very differently than Boomers and many Gen Xers.  They have skills and a comfort level we don’t have.  And management is left asking: How do we tap their expertise?  How do we teach them to think more strategically?  How much expertise do we need to have ourselves? How much can we rely on them?

Relinquish Authority or Embrace Change?

Increasingly, managers are turning to Generation Y for their social media expertise.  Suzanne Barrett senior brand marketing manager from the World of Coca-Cola tapped a University of Georgia intern this summer to develop and implement their presence on YouTube, Flickr, and Twitter. Suzanne recognized that her intern was exceptional, but it’s a far cry from answering phones and getting coffee that I did as an intern.

Or consider last year, when Jack Leslie, chairman, Weber Shadwick Worldwide stirred a little controversy on a PRSA Georgia panel with the confession that he leans toward people half his age when considering employees with social media skills since .. young people have this built into their DNA.  Mostly said in jest it does go to heart of  the matter.

As Lauren Culberston, a Generation Yer and communications assistant for United States Senator Johnny Isakson told me, “A  lot of senior professionals tell me, ‘I don’t have the time to mess with that stuff. I’m busy, I have a life.’ What they don’t realize is that social media is a tool you can use to make your life easier and save time.”

Thinking Strategically

Launching a Twitter page is one thing; thinking strategically is another. Using Facebook to communicate with friends is very different from speaking as the representative of a company.  Technical prowess no matter how impressive can’t replace a knowledge of how to navigate organizations and mine customer insight. That takes time.  There is a place for all generations in the adoption of social media.

“Simple truth, all use it, but they don’t use it for PR purposes. They are all not equally prepared.” said Karen Russell, associate professor, Grady College of Mass Communications at University of Georgia.

Or as Donna Fleishman president of Cohn & Wolfe’s Altanta office wrote me, “While Generation Y certainly understands how speedily they can get information out, they are learning from Generation X that the rules of accuracy and honesty and news value must still apply.”

Clearly marketing and PR Gen Yer’s understanding of social media is incredibly valuable.  More entrepreneurial and less willing to listen to traditional media, they are perfect conduit to understand how their generation thinks and what tools are needed to reach them.  As Ebuni Tolu Ogbechie, social media & development associate at Prevent Blindness Georgia wrote me, “We can essentially be ‘beta testers’ for new forms of social media.” 

 Restoring a Balance of Power

It’s time to take the mystery and fear out social media and restore a balance of power.  Generation Y brings a great deal to the table, but it is up to more senior managers to integrate technology into the workplace and channel their younger counterpart’s energy and expertise into effective communications strategies. There clearly is a cultural challenge, but we need not be afraid.

Let me get back to you.

PR Camp Atlanta is less than 2 weeks ago so it’s time for a few ghost stories around the virtual campfire to get some conversations going about social media.

Today’s tale is about “ghost” writers. Negative public reaction for companies caught using them is a chilling scenario for any PR professional. (For example, last week, the New York Times reported that drug maker Wyeth paid ghostwriters to author articles in medical journals under the physicians’ names.)  It’s also a relevant topic for the first session of PR Camp Atlanta when we will discuss how to get management’s buy-in for social media.

Ghost stories instill fear, and fear is one reason that reluctant clients and bosses give for taking a pass on social media – fear of negative comments, fear of wasting money, and fear of doing it wrong.

Ghost writing is doing social media wrong.  I know it may seem like a good way to get time strapped CEOs engaged or keep undisciplined CEOs from going too far off message.  At its worse, ghost writing is deceptive. It’s also lazy. It’s a way to avoid the hard work of getting executives to understand how social media works.

Social media thrives on direct personal contact. No one wants to wonder if the author is real or genuine. And honestly, don’t you have a different perception of the tweets of President Obama or Britney Spears if you know a communications team or publicist is writing them?  In my book, if you don’t have the time, talent or temptation, think again.

Ghost Writing and Twitter

By now you may feel ghost writing is familiar territory.  Not true. The discussion about ghost writing has spilled over into Twitter.

Take Guy Kawasaki, noted Silicon Valley venture capitalist and social media though leader.

Earlier this year Guy revealed that he uses ghost writers on Twitter.  Here are  Dennis McDonald’s and Dave Fleet’s reactions.

It’s one thing to use a ghost writer to author a politician’s speech or celebrity tell all autobiography; people expect that. But Twitter like a blog or Facebook profile is different.  Part of its allure is the personal insight it provides.

Guy may be an exception, and the lack of public outrage by his revelation may reflect Guy’s influence or quite possibly reveal how social media has changed.  Purists are being replaced by mainstream marketers.

I still maintain the best social media is personal, but if you are going to enlist ghost writers, I do think full disclosure is critical.  You may not be authentic, but at least be transparent. Regardless of who is writing, the content has to be useful, timely or entertaining. Ultimately, ghost stories are often warnings of behaviors, places and people to avoid.  Approach ghost writing at your own peril.

Let me get back to you.