How to overcome the risks involved with using social media

31 August 2012 -

Managers are often nervous about opening up their organisation to social media. They fear that it will expose them to unknown risks, be that an employee saying things they shouldn't, or a customer venting their fury about them online.

A new report by the Altimeter Group called Guarding the Social Gates: The Imperative for Social Media Risk Management reveals that if you have those fears you're far from alone. It reveals that 2/3 of us think social media poses a risk to brand reputation, with the biggest concerns around things such as release of confidential information; legal, regulatory and compliance violations; and identity theft/brand hijacking.

Despite this risk however, some 60% of companies don't train staff on what is expected of them when they use social media and the policies for its use in the workplace.

The report goes on to identify how you can overcome these concerns and stop risks from turning into crises. You can access the report below. If you use social media in your organisation then it's well worth a read.

Guarding the Social Gates: The Imperative for Social Media Risk Management from Altimeter Group Network on SlideShare

Adi Gaskell is a blogger and social media expert.