15 queries on how semicon/VLSI firms associate with social media!

Practically everyone I know, throws this question at me! In fact, I’ve made a list of questions that I am asked by folks from the semiconductor/electronics industry, and of course, by friends and well wishers.

When such questions come my way, I have to take a step back and think — am I a social media expert? The answer — of course not!

I am just a writer, who writes about things that I love — on a platform for writing web logs or ‘blogs’. Sometimes, I may post article links on networking sites such as LinkedIn and Twitter, in the hope that people with some interest in what I write, would like to read what I have written! Now, does that make me a social media expert? Nope! Far from it!

Well, on the subject of how semicon/VLSI and electronics firms should associate with the social media — especially, sites such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and so on, here are some points that I can think aloud. These are 15 ‘tricky’ questions or statements, not necessary in the order I’ve put down here.

1. How are semicon/VLSI firms using the social media to build communities? Are such firms adopting social media strategies? What’s the success rate?

2. Is the social media really helping reach out to design engineers? Are they hiring via the social media sites? If yes, one would like to know the success rate.

3. How much of web traffic to sites of semicon/VLSI firms is generally referred to by the social media sites? This will be interesting, should someone share an answer!

4.Significantly, only leading brands (in semicon/VLSI) rank high on traffic, while the ‘not-so-well known brands’ don’t have high traffic, nor is there any strong presence (or effort) to boost visibility via social media. Why is it so?

5. Does it indicate that social media managers focus more on ‘boosting’ social media activities for only the large, well known firms? Is it easier to popularize large companies? Is the pay better? Or, can’t the others afford to pay for such services?

6. Building a community seems easier said than done with social media. Well, has it impacted sales for such large firms? I have yet to see a quarterly report state — $2 million sales were generated via leads from Twitter!

7. Corporate blogs — they ‘seem’ to be doing well, as long as those are written by someone currently working in those firms. When the person (s) move — either the blogs are ‘lost’ OR the person’s own blog does not seem to attract much attention. Why so? Again — the issue of brand attachment comes into play. Perhaps, yes.

8. How important is the role of a ‘brand’ in social media? What if the brand is not well known? Will it do well? If not, are enough efforts being made with regard to the branding exercise? Or is it a case of: What’s visible, sells (Jo dikhta hai wo bikta hai)!

9. On the contrary, good blogs written by folks working for the not-so-well known semicon/VLSI firms do not attract that much attention! Why is it so? Is it that such folks are poor writers, or they don’t know their subject?

10. How is Twitter really helping semicon/VLSI firms push sales? Are there visible figures any company can present? Why aren’t they presenting such figures in the first place, if they are indeed available? I have yet to see a quarterly report state something like — ‘$2 million sales came via leads from Twitter’!

11. The same goes for Facebook! What’s the key goal for semicon/VLSI firms who put up their pages on Facebook and other such sites? Traffic? Business? Leads? Or, is it just some number of people who click on a ‘Like’ button?

12. If social media is really so good, why do firms need the press and all that PR? They can simply put up article links for others to read. By the way, I won’t be clicking on any of those links as I prefer the website or magazine!

13. LinkedIn seems to stand out as far as professional networking is concerned. Is there an alternative?

14. Why do firms send out invites stating– please join our Twitter, or Facebook page? What’s the intention? I ask this question when I get such invites — what will I gain by joining a particular feed or page? At least, I know what I need to know about the company. Okay, will they pay me for joining – then I may consider.

15. Why do some firms invite bloggers to join a blogging community? What will the blogger gain? Recognition? He/she already has it — hence, the invite. Will the blogger be paid? ;)

There you have it! I’ve put in 15 questions or comments!

I was quite thrilled to find that the EDA Consortium is organizing a session on Does Social Media Reach the Engineers You Want or Waste Your Time? tomorrow in San Jose, USA. Wish, I could attend and hear what’s being said.

In my next post, I shall attempt to answer some of these 15 ‘tricky’ questions. Do pitch in with your advice, friends! I am still learning, and am a student of the ‘game’.