How Southwest juggles social media channels
Southwest’s success with blogging spurred the airline to look for, and experiment with, new social media tools such as Twitter and Flickr when they first popped up.
By devoting a full-time team to work on social media, it allows the airline to “dabble and find our way without too many people noticing what we’re doing,” says Berg.
Each member of the team “owns” a particular social media tool. That way each tool features a distinct voice or tone.
“It makes each channel more personal,” she says.
For instance, soon after the airline’s marketing department developed a Twitter feed in July 2007, Christi Day, a member of Berg’s team, took control of the content.
Day thought Twitter could offer a space to tease news, share TwitPics, host contests and even post job opportunities for Berg’s own team. (She received 150 applications for the two positions filled in November.) Since she took over, the feed has attracted more than 9,000 followers, including journalists, customers and bloggers.
A key to its success, says Berg, is that it’s not a condensed version of the blog. “It’s a lot faster and offers a different flavor,” she says.
Clearly Southwest Airlines has a firm grasp of what social media can do for a large business. And what's great is that they continue to explore possibilities.
