How to use social media to enhance project management

We already know that social media is one of the most powerful marketing tools today. But, can we use social media to reach other business goals such as project management? There are so many project managers who will beg to differ and tell us social media is not a part of the typical project management toolset. However, we're here to prove differently.
The truth is, social media can be used as a project management tool. Different platforms offer different options, and you should consider using them to manage your future projects. Let's take a closer look at how you can use social media to enhance project management.
A smartphone with speech bubbles and emojis.

1. Boost Project Communication

Every project requires that the team of people involved communicates without any trouble. If the communication flow isn’t smooth and on a satisfying level, chances are high the project won’t be completed as well as it could be.

This is why communication matters.

And, social media can simplify the process of communication within the team. There will be no official emails, complicated procedures, or multiple channels of communication.

The team can choose one social media platform to communicate with, for example:
  • a Facebook private group
  • Facebook messenger chat group
  • LinkedIn
  • Telegram 

All the team members will be in one place, and the project manager will be able to keep a record of their communication and keep track of what they’re saying.

It’s a great way to keep things running smoothly and stay connected 24/7.

2. Managing Remote Work

Remote work has been growing stronger for the last couple of years, but with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, it had a serious boost.

People had to stay home and handle their work assignments from there, which made project management harder for some teams. But, we’ve gotten used to the situation, and remote project management is not such an enigma anymore.

Of course, social media helps project managers manage their team remotely.

They use different social media platforms to:
  • share schedules with team members
  • assign new tasks
  • share feedback
  • ask for feedback
  • schedule online meetings
  • send notes and reminders

Project managers have the ability to perform all kinds of tasks using social media and thus make sure the project is running smoothly. This makes remote work much more successful and doesn’t leave us wanting to go back to the office.

3. Solve Problems Faster

When a team is working on a project, everybody needs to work together. If there is even one loose end, the whole project could be jeopardised.

This is why the team manager and team members must support each other.

And, when one person experiences an issue, it's in everyone's interest to solve it ASAP. This person can use social media to:
  • reach out to the entire team
  • reach out only to the team manager
  • reach out to one team member he feels could help him out

With social media, the person will be notified instantly and will be able to provide the necessary help or guidance. This way, the whole project can continue to run without problems.

Social media is great for solving burning problems and making sure the team meets its deadline.

4. Share Useful Resources

The team manager should always aim at improving his team members' skills and knowledge. This implies sharing useful materials and providing the right resources for them to learn from and grow.

With social media, it’s easy to share these resources and even share the impressions after reading them.

Team members can share links to:
  • interesting blog posts
  • academic papers
  • useful articles
  • e-books and manuals
  • links to podcasts
  • YouTube videos

This will turn the team's social media chat group into a more dynamic environment in which they can share ideas, discuss the latest industry-related news, and help each other to grow professionally.

This will enhance project management since every team member will constantly be working on improving his or her skills and learning more.

5. Project Reports

After your team finishes a project, you must run through all the details and do a review of the project.

This way, everyone will learn an important lesson, and you'll have written documentation about the team's struggles, ideas, and overall experience.

With social media, everyone can share his or her experience immediately. Also, they’ll be able to listen to what others have to say and respond to those ideas.

It will give the manager the ultimate resource for writing the finalised report. 

6. Celebrating Victories

Every team needs the motivation to keep working hard and give every project his maximum effort. Celebrating victories is one of the best ways to motivate team members to keep working hard.

And, there’s no better way to celebrate publicly than by using social media platforms.

For example, you'll see numerous platforms and companies celebrating their project completion via LinkedIn. It's the perfect social media platform for sharing your team's success stories.

We recommend that you
  • create a LinkedIn account
  • share project progress stories
  • share project completion stories
  • publicly praise your team members

Final Thoughts

Project management is a demanding task that requires a lot of hard work and professional collaboration from everyone involved. But, social media can make the whole process much more enjoyable and easier to handle.

Use the tips we’ve shared above and start using social media in your next project management ventures. You will be able to feel the positive effects sooner than you expect.

Before you dive into your next project using social media, you should talk to your company's data protection officer to find out which platforms you are allowed to use and what you may need to be aware of.
Author:
Erica Sunarjo is a freelance writer and a blogger with years of experience. She works as an editor at a writing service TopEssayWriting that helps people who ask themselves “Can anyone write my paper for me?” She specialises in covering topics such as professional advancement and building a career.

Key words: Social Media, Project management, Tips, Guide

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