It has to be realised that social media can be used to inform consumers in real-time of how a corporation is reacting to events that affect the customer. Transparency in the process and access to constant information can help stop a negative story from going viral, a great example of positive digital PR.

Neverthless, embracing social media is a huge undertaking, and involves a large investment.  One prime example being Dell who didn’t shy away from these obstacles, instead they’ve gone above and beyond, truly cultivating a cross-platform community.  They’ve created multiple Twitter handles, a network of blogs, and are very active on Facebook.

Dell is also one of the few companies to publicly state that they created a return on investment from Twitter.  Apparently, Dell’s social media efforts help create $1 million in revenue, impressive I think we would all agree.

Saying that, as we all know social media isn’t all about ROI, but it is possible. Creating cross-platform strategies can lead to the most success, especially when your demographic is already Internet and technologically savvy.

When IBM decided they wanted to start using blogs, they didn’t just create one blog, they created an entire network.  IBM created a way and allowed their employees to write about their experiences, what they’re working on, or any other topic of choice.

IBM capitalizes on the intelligence of their employees to give consumers insight into what happens behind the scenes.  By giving the industry experts they’ve hired a voice, IBM is able to highlight the people behind their products. Users get to see how IBM operates, and are given a direct connection with IBM employees.

Indeed, having a CEO that blogs is great, but increase the number of blogs and you increase the number of connections.  Leveraging your employees to write about what they love conveys the corporate dedication to the industry, accurately described by Mashable, the Social Media Guide.

And I for one am all for it.