Unexpected Uses of Social Media

Using social media has become the norm for businesses and people alike. There are millions of users on each of the top social media outlets — Facebook, twitter, Youtube. While it’s expected to see your close friends using twitter and marketing companies writing Facebook statuses, there are some companies and organizations that you would never expect to have social media pages.

The United States Government

You’d expect the politicians to use social media to an extent, but the public affairs department for the government has created numerous social media sites for almost all of the federal agencies in the United States government. This isn’t just limited to Facebook: they have Foursquare, Pintrest, Instagram and Youtube, among many others.

The main purpose behind these accounts is to inform the public. It also keeps the politics relatable for both the young population and the old alike. For example, the White House Facebook page has posted memes to show its accomplishments.

Construction Companies

We don’t associate computers with construction sites very often. However, many construction companies are taking advantage of social media sites to reach out to their audience and show another side of the company.

Empire Cat construction has its own website that explains many of its products, such as the Empire Power Systems. Its website also includes links to its Facebook, twitter and Youtube pages, where it includes posts wishing people a happy Wednesday or going into detail about scholarships it is offering students.

Fitness Centers

Of course people use social media while they’re at the gym. It shouldn’t be too surprising — yet somehow it is — that these fitness centers have social media accounts of their own. Many fitness centers are taking advantage of the opportunities presented by social media to reach out to an even larger audience than before. Youtube is used for fitness videos. Blogs are used for articles. Instagram is used to show the progression people make in their exercise journey.

Many fitness centers do more with their social media than that. Some companies use their social media for contests, while others send out inspirational quotes for their followers. They use their social media accounts for more than just fitness tips: they reach out to their audience and include them.

Hospitals 

While the doctors working at the hospital are there to save lives, many people don’t realize that hospitals are a business. Like most businesses, they have their own social media pages. In fact, 26 percent of hospitals in the United States use social media.

Why are hospitals using social media? Many people, when they get sick, prefer to look up their symptoms on the Internet first before scheduling an appointment with their doctor. In fact, one third of people will use social media to look up medical information such as medicines, symptoms or health care providers before making a decision. Many hospitals have reacted to this surge in searches by creating their own blog posts and twitter feeds. If people are going to look up information online, they might as well get it from a credible source.

About The Author:

Scott Huntington is a writer, blogger, and social media expert. He lives in Pennsylvania and with his wife and son. Follow Scott at @SMHuntington or check out his blog, blogspike.com