Business
Business Buzz: Social media for profit – passing fad or must-have tool?

PHUKET: No matter where we go, we are surrounded by social media and its influences. Tweet this, like that, share and like this; terms we were not familiar with all that long ago are now in common, daily use.
So is this a passing fad or is this social media craze here to stay, and even more importantly, is this something we need to embrace and master? If we own a business, is social media even more important to know and understand?
Looking at some statistics gives us the best clues to answering those questions. Facebook had 100 million users in 2008 and now has over 1.6 billion users. Twitter has over 240mn users. Instagram has over 200mn. Thailand is the second largest user of Line with about 40mn registered accounts. YouTube has more than 1bn unique monthly users!
All this sprung up quickly, but with the momentum and stamina to suggest that it is the way of the future. Though some apps are more popular than others, and new ones will pop up, while some older ones manage to survive and some die, the simple reality is that social media is definitely here to stay.
Now, from a business perspective, what does this mean?
Put simply, you either use social media or you are likely to suffer a premature death.
I was trying to think of a business that could survive without, or at least did not need to benefit from social media, and the list was very small. As long as your competitor is on social media, they are a step ahead.
In Phuket, where there are so many businesses competing in the same niches, such as real estate, accommodation and tourist activities, having a successful social media profile can make a difference in how big your share of the pie is, and possibly even whether you will succeed or fail.
This column is going to explore the most common social media platforms, provide the latest information on what is working; explain how social media should be used to maximize results; and detail what pitfalls to look out for.
Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Google+, Pinterest, Instagram, Line and so on all can have business applications that can benefit your existing business, or even create a new income stream for you. The greatest aspect of adding these to your business development is that it is a lot easier to do than most people realize.
I will leave you with this thought – where else could you find more than a billion potential customers that you can target for as little as a couple baht per person, and know enough about them already to know if they fit into your target market. Next time, we will explore how to turn them into happy and satisfied customers!
Want to know more? Attend a live workshop. For more details, click here.
Simon Wetherell is a social media expert, best selling author and international speaker. He now resides in Phuket where he trains businesses and individuals on how to profit from the use of social media. For more information, call 095-085 3355 or visit https://PhuketOnlineMarketing.com. Follow him on social media: Twitter @SimonWetherell or @PhuketMarketing; Facebook – SAWetherell or Linkedin – th.linkedin.com/in/simonwetherell/en
— Simon Wetherell
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Business
Governments & old media versus social media – who will win? | VIDEO

We look at the recent changes made by the Australian and Indian governments to except control over the world’s biggest social media platforms. India has issued strict new rules for Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms just weeks after the Indian government attempted to pressure Twitter to take down social media accounts it deemed, well, anti social. There is now an open battle between the rise of social media platforms and the governments and ‘old’ media that have been able to maintain a certain level of control over the ‘message’ for the last century. Who will win?
The rules require any social media company to create three roles within India… a “compliance officer” who ensures they follow local laws; a “grievance officer” who addresses complaints from Indian social media users; and a “contact person” who can actually be contacted by lawyers and other aggrieved Indian parties… 24/7.
The democratisation of the news model, with social media as its catalyst, will continue to baffle traditional media and governments who used to enjoy a level of control over what stories get told. The battles of Google and Facebook, with the governments of India and Australia will be followed in plenty of other countries as well.
At the root of all discussions will be the difference between what governments THINK social media is all about and the reality about how quickly the media landscape has changed. You’ll get to read about it first, on a social media platform… probably on the screen you’re watching this news story right now.
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Business
The social media giants in battle with ‘old’ media and world governments | VIDEO

“The rules signal greater willingness by countries around the world to rein in big tech firms such as Google, Facebook and Twitter that the governments fear have become too powerful with little accountability.”
India has issued strict new rules for Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms just weeks after the Indian government attempted to pressure Twitter to take down social media accounts it deemed, well, anti social.
The rules require any social media company to create three roles within India… a “compliance officer” who ensures they follow local laws; a “grievance officer” who addresses complaints from Indian social media users; and a “contact person” who can actually be contacted by lawyers and other aggrieved Indian parties… 24/7.
The companies are also being made to publish a compliance report each month with details about how many complaints they’ve received and the action they took.
They’ll also be required to remove ‘some’ types of content including “full or partial nudity,” any “sexual act” or “impersonations including morphed images”
The democratisation of the news model, with social media as its catalyst, will continue to baffle traditional media and governments who used to enjoy a level of control over what stories get told.
The battles of Google and Facebook, with the governments of India and Australia will be followed in plenty of other countries as well.
At the root of all discussions will be the difference between what governments THINK social media is all about and the reality about how quickly the media landscape has changed. You’ll get to read about it first, on a social media platform… probably on the screen you’re watching this news story right now.
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Never miss out on future posts by following The Thaiger.
Business
Turbulence ahead for Thailand’s aviation industry | VIDEO

When the airlines, in particular, were asking the government to put their hands in their pockets for some relief funding in August last year, it was genuinely thought that international tourists would be coming back for the high season in December and January. At the very least local tourists and expats would head back to the skies over the traditional holiday break. And surely the Chinese would be back for Chinese New Year?
As we know now, none of that happened. A resurge in cases started just south of Bangkok on December 20 last year, just before Christmas, kicking off another round of restrictions, pretty much killing off any possibility of a high season ‘bump’ for the tourist industry. Airlines slashed flights from their schedule, and hotels, which had dusted off their reception desks for the surge of tourists, shut their doors again.
Domestically, the hotel business saw 6 million room nights in the government’s latest stimulus campaign fully redeemed. But the air ticket quota of 2 million seats still has over 1.3 million seats unused. Local tourists mostly skipped flights and opted for destinations within driving distance of their homes.
As for international tourism… well that still seems months or years away, even now.
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