We’re often asked who is using social media well, so here are some examples from across the world and in the UK. If you have an example you’d like to share or if you’d like to tell us how you’ve used integrated social media into your business please let us know.

Global Corporate Examples

Skittles – Brand Promotion in the Societal Web

In March 2009 Skittles spent £100,000 updating it’s traditional homepage into an online portal with feeds from social media sites Twitter, Facebook, Flickr and YouTube. This resulted in great brand promotion for Skittles and with 4000 news media mentions following the launch and was a more effective use of the marketing budget than the equivalent spend in TV advertising.

Ford Motors – Developing Online Word of Mouth

In April 2009, Ford Motors used the power of online communities to promote its new Fiesta. The new model was loaned to 100 bloggers for six months. In return they were encouraged to blog about their experience and upload videos to YouTube

Dell – Twitter Use Increases Revenue

Dell’s social media strategy directly resulted in increased revenue. In December the company said that promoting its PCs using Twitter had generated more than $6.5m in sales in 2009. There has reportedly been a 23% rise in the number of users following Dell on Twitter in the past three months and it now has 1.5 million followers.

In the UK

First Direct

As part of the First Direct Live campaign the company is actively and visibly having conversations with customers. Their microsite promotes live streams of online comments, an online facility to ask questions, a podcast about money and other useful topics. First Direct is using, largely positive,  online customer comments to promote the brand. The UK Bank has an active twitter account that promoting products, interesting tidbits and seems to be manned for answering customer questions.

News Groups – Protecting Readership and Greater Collaboration

Many news media companies have engaged in social media platforms in a bid to retain readers. The Guardian has been at the forefront of this move with 1.5million followers on Twitter alone. Most of their full time reporters also have a strong presence on Twitter.

Meanwhile the BBC created it’s first social media post in 2009. Peter Horrocks, newly appointed Director of BBC Global News has stated that BBC news journalists must use social media as a primary source of information, saying that it was important for editorial staff to make better use of social media and become more collaborative in producing stories.

Small businesses make good use of social media too

Wiggly Wigglers

Wiggly Wigglers is a Herefordshire based garden centre who have used social media to personalise their online business. Integrating social media into their website means that customers can follow their blog, sign up to their newsletter or listen to the latest podcast for news from the farm. They can also follow on twitter and read tips and expertise.

“The Wiggly Podcast is our weekly dose of Wiggly Life, it’s like The Archers, but real!”

For more about Wiggly Wigglers and some other small businesses using social media successfully read Lauren Fisher’s blog on Mashable.

Getting it wrong

Habitat – Exploiting Unrest

Habitat were exposed for spamming hashtags related to the Iran protests in July 2009 in order to drive Twitter users to its products. The company had to make a public apology for exploiting the unrest.

Doing nothing is not always a good strategy either. Those companies that ignore social networks risk being met with ‘cyber-squatters’.

South West Trains – Conversations Happen With Or Without You

A disgruntled customer opened a  Twitter account for South West Trains, stating “Not actually anything to do with SWT. Just a spiteful commuter playing around”. The page documented hiccups and delays in the train provider’s service.