Wait, that’s an oxymoron. For sure. Trying to control the social space is absurd, but it happens all the time, as evidenced by the following Dilbert Comic Strip:

This is so telling of the environment around social media at work, and shows how far we still have to go in establishing credibility in the field. A short time ago, we were advising that social media might not be for all companies – that it depended on their corporate culture.

However, as user adoption has increased exponentially, this is no longer true. Everyone needs to be involved. You may not need a Facebook Page, but you may need to monitor and be involved in forums and blogs. Social Media is simply a communication tool, and with all the competition out there now, you can’t afford to not be communicating with current and prospective customers to build and strengthen your business and brand.

“Beth” in the cartoon above needs more breathing room. The social space changes frequently, and policies that restrict her ability to research and test new strategies is a waste of your money, as she will never be able to get you any results in that capacity. Hire someone smart, who understands business and research, and is passionate about communicating with people. These are the key ingredients in a social media manager.