It's just a little over three months since the CIPR launched its Social Media Panel and I thought it would be good to share our progress. In the spirit of openness the social media panel has a wiki where you can see minutes from the meetings and where CIPR members and supporters can directly input into the work of the panel.
The first major initiative was the creation of the CIPR Social Summer series of events. The CIPR's Social Summer workshops are delivered by members of the panel and other social media aficionados. The series was pulled together openly on a wiki, by CIPR members and non-members, with each workshop owner having a free reign to give a "unique" view on any relevant topic. The modest £10 fee includes a glass of wine or a beer and the series has been running on Thursdays between 5pm and 7pm. Interest has prompted calls for a Social Autumn series outside London which is likely to run during October and November.
Working with the CIPR training team, we are facilitating the fast tracking of CIPR approved trainers with specialist knowledge and skills in social media. The first of these has been through the approval process and more are on the way.
The panel has also been in discussions with the Head of Policy at the Internet Advertising Bureau who has agreed to include the CIPR in a planned advertising industry wide consultation on the regulation of social media marketing.
One of the most important initiatives is the plan already underway to review the CIPR Social Media guidelines using the wiki. By doing it this way any member of the CIPR or interested party can not only take part in the discussion but they can actually directly add amendments to the guidelines.
In the pipeline are plans to introduce social media into formal training and qualifications covering social media analytics and SEO as well as a conference on social media crisis planning later in the year. Stay tuned for more initiatives in the Autumn.
Rob Brown
Chair, CIPR Social Media Panel
3 comments
Looks like really good progress - it's building up a head of steam. Just one thought on a crisis management session: how about just making it about modern crisis planning, given that there is such risk these days that a crisis in social media will also get picked up and inflamed by conventional media?
Thank you for establishing the social summer series because it has helped me to upskill! I have only been able to attend three sessions and I know that some of the presentations have been popped onto slide shower. Can you please put a link (in an obvious place) to all of the presentations so that we can view the presentations. Many thanks Karen
Thanks very much for directing us to the CIPR social media guidelines. We're looking at social media policies internally and this information has really helped me to focus on what we need to address. Looking forward to seeing more progress from the Panel.