UPMC and Highmark are doing it. Bayer and Heinz are thinking about it. Pittsburgh companies are jumping on the social media bandwagon and, in some cases, hiring communication professionals to channel the chatter.
UPMC Health Plan recently hired a full time director of social marketing and has established a presence on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube for starters. Social media allows for an online facilitated group discussion on healthy lifestyles and health care research, which is a good fit for the health care industry, says Kelly Kimberland, Director of Social Marketing.
Snap!Retail recently hired Crystal Vilkaitis, formerly the owner of a social media company in San Diego. She moved here to join the team as Director of Social Media of the technology marketing company in Churchill that helps retailers nationwide to drive sales.
“One thing that I definitely saw was the power in the numbers, the exposure and the press in the increased traffic to websites,” says
Vilkaitis of the job, which includes establishing a strong presence for companies on Twitter, Stumbled Upon and Facebook. The hardest part was keeping abreast of the day-to-day business of multiple firms.
“For many businesses, it’s an afterthought,” she says. “They forget they should be keeping social networks in the loop.”
Organizations need to be fairly large to put a person or team on social media, notes Cynthia Closkey, president of Big Big Design and an organizer of Podcamp Pittsburgh. Companies like GNC were among do the first in the region to do it. “You want all your communications to work together. Many can blog or tweet, but some have trouble with the shift of voice or style. You need to approach it as less of a chief spokesperson and more of a chief listener.”
Taking advantage of the interest in online coupons and use of smartphone barcodes is another important social aspect for companies says Ken Rapko, vice president of Cronmiller-McCormick. Rapko’s firm has teamed up with Higher Images to capitalize on the growth of social media marketing.
Sources: Crystal Vilkaitis, Snap!Retail; Cynthia Closkey, Big Big Design; Ken Rapko, Cronmiller-McCormick, Kelly Kimberland, UPMC Health Plan
Writer: Deb Smit
Photo: Crystal Vilkaitis
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