There are companies who “do Social Media” and there are companies who “do Social Media RIGHT”.

This week, I was teaching the students about Social Media & Business and one of our Case Studies of Social Media done right is Ford Canada.

The class watched the following video which was uploaded to YouTube on September 15, 2010

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On the YouTube Channel, it states it was “Created for internal audience and agency show reel, and submitted to Cannes Lions Film Festival – won Silver”

During the class, I tweeted the following:

Within the hour, I received the following:

and

Scott Monty is the head of Social Media at Ford. On his Twitter account, he has 76,000+ followers, and has sent 34,ooo+ tweets.

As per the article by Shel Israel in Forbes magazine,” Monty is probably the highest-ranking social media professional in any publicly traded company.”

You would think that a high-powered executive, responsible for an internationally known brand would have better things to do than to respond to a “regular person”, but if you look at his Twitter stream, you’ll notice he’s not pushing his company agenda (that’s the brand’s job) – he’s actually having conversations! (Note: This is what you’re supposed to be doing on Twitter)

Taking a look at the @Ford and @FordCanada accounts, you’ll see there’s a mixture of pushed content/updates, mixed with conversation and re-tweets of others.

Quite simply: Ford “gets” social.

Ford (like some of the other car manufacturers) is very visible in the blogging community. They participate at conferences at ShesConnected and have recruited some phenomenal social media people such as Craig Silva to be brand representatives.

(Side note: I know Craig from speaking at the inaugural #140ConfONT last year. We were both speakers at the event and both he and his wife Wendy, are very active both online and regularly attending tweet ups and conferences in and around Toronto. They are really an awesome duo who truly get the spirit of what Social Media is all about.)

As Scott Monty says in this video from Social Media Examiner, Ford is listening to what the customers want.

Listening, you say? Yes. Listening.

What a novel idea! (she says, sarcastically)

Not everyone is going to be able to participate and have the brand recognition that Ford does, but my advice to you is:

be where you customers are (don’t try to be on all the channels, just focus on doing it right)
listen to what your customers want
solve their problems
evoke emotion
connect with them (a simply “thank you” or “good morning” shows you want to build a relationship)

And you just might find you end up building a community of quality customers who are passionate about your business.

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Now I turn the question to you: What companies and brands are YOU seeing who “get” Social Media?

I’d love to share them with my classes at Durham College and the University of Ontario, Institute of Technology.

Disclaimer: I don’t work for Ford. I don’t own a Ford. These thoughts are my own.

mP4Tj

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About Leslie Hughes

Leslie Hughes is a LinkedIn Optimization Specialist, LinkedIn Top Voice, and Corporate Trainer with over 25 years of experience in digital marketing and LinkedIn profile writing. As the Principal of PUNCH!media and author of "CREATE. CONNECT. CONVERT," Leslie helps executives and professionals optimize their LinkedIn profiles, generate leads, and attract higher-paying clients. Recognized as a LinkedIn Top Voice—an exclusive honor from LinkedIn—Leslie is a trusted authority on LinkedIn profile optimization, AI-driven marketing strategies, and digital identity management. Her expertise has been featured on CBC Radio, where she was called a "Social Media Guru," and on CTV’s "The Social," where she shared strategies for managing digital identity. Leslie empowers professionals to leverage generative AI tools like ChatGPT to enhance marketing strategies, boost efficiency, and create impactful content that converts. She helps businesses understand how to use LinkedIn for lead generation and how AI can revolutionize their digital marketing efforts. Leslie has worked with top organizations like Investment Planning Counsel, Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, JLL, and Franklin Templeton, optimizing LinkedIn profiles and providing corporate training that delivers measurable results. Leslie is a former college professor and co-lead instructor for Ontario Tech University’s Social Media Marketing and Digital Management Certificate. Whether you need a LinkedIn profile writer, corporate trainer, or AI marketing specialist, Leslie Hughes can help you elevate your digital presence and transform your marketing strategy. Ready to take your LinkedIn profile and corporate training to the next level? Learn more at www.punchmedia.ca.

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