In many companies, the role of a social media and reputation manager is not distinctly defined, the job title varies between companies and it remains unclear of what the person in that role is responsible for. What is understood is that it tends to be the realm of young people who understand how to employ social media most effectively for business. Social media management should also be outlined by a well defined plan and used to maintain corporate reputation.

A survey undertaken by Steve Woodgate, a sports PR specialist, found that a social media policy is necessary in corporate communications and social should be prioritised when it comes to reputation management. The survey also pointed to an increased focus on social media in the PR industry. However, in-house communications teams still hold most of the control over their company’s social media output.

For a company to successfully manage its public image, particularly in times of crisis when reputation is under assault, internal teams with a strongly delineated plan of action are often better equipped to manage their social media channels. In fact, 72.9% of respondents say that social media has a direct influence on an organisation’s reputation. Additionally, over half of those surveyed say that reputation can be enhanced by engaging in dialogue.