When I say can social media benefit companies, I mean companies that add social media as part of their marketing strategy. The companies that set up Facebook pages or Twitter accounts are the ones that I am talking about here.

Talk to anyone who has any knowledge of social media and they will say that you have to create a personal identity in order to promote your business. My question is if you establish a connection with all these people and you move to another company, will they move with you? Hmmm. Can the company just plop someone in your place? I think not.

I don't think that vehicles like Facebook, Twitter and all their offspring are bad. I've seen many of the people I follow get new jobs and new opportunities because of the work they do with social media. What I do think is that for companies who are trying to catch lightning in a bottle with social media, they will find only limited success.

It really is about good products and people who believe in your brand. These are the companies that benefit from social media. Let's look at Apple. How may Facebook pages does Apple have? Or blogs? Or Twitter accounts? Exactly. They are the most tight lipped corporation out there and they are kicking every one else's butt! Is there a company who "embraces" social media that has that kind of following? Google? Maybe, but is it the company or the people who use their products.

Social Media is for people interacting with people. To try to make that connection as a company just doesn't make any sense. It is like socializing with a piece of paper. I believe that you can promote a company that you are not affiliated with via social media, but to pay someone to do it is only giving that person credibility. That person will develop a personality and make "friends". If that person says "I'm moving on", I'm nearly positive that the questions will be "Where are you going?" and not "Who will take your place?"

To force your influence on people as a company will not build brand loyalty, only their belief and their trust in the product will. I feel that companies engaging in social media are putting window dressing on a dilapidated ranch and calling it new and innovative. If they have products that are good enough, there will be no need to engage in social media, social media will engage you.