I read a recent blog post that got me wondering what other’s thoughts are on the subject. Everyone should be already aware of the heightened interest in social media going on today. Everyone seems to have a presence in the web world maybe with a page on MySpace, Facebook, LinkedIn, while tweeting through Twitter, posting pictures on Flickr, and blogging - just to name a few social media outlets. Companies and organizations are feeling the same call to join the conversation and reach out to many new audiences and supporters.

That brings me to my question, “Where exactly should social media fall in the organizational structure?” It seems that anytime social media is talked about it is reference in the Public Relations area. On the blog post I read, one could clearly see the writer’s opinion on the topic  Social Media is the responsibility of Public Relations. The post did spark some discussion in the comments, with a lot of opinions on both sides.

While Social Media smoothly fits into public relations work efforts as we are natural communicators, that doesn’t mean that other departments in the organization or company can’t use it. Many departments from HR to IT have begun to communicate using social media outlets with success. One of the points made during a discussion of this topic centered on the idea that there are too many disciplines with a stake in social media to expect everyone to just let the PR people operate it. Brian Solis, operator of the blog PR 2.0, had this to say:

Truth is that Social Media is the responsibility of the champions that demonstrate how it will benefit the company and the brand.

Many times in today’s business world, social media is actually a completely separate department. I come from a PR background, friends of mine that are involved in social media come from business marketing backgrounds, IT backgrounds, and advertising/copywriting backgrounds, but now they are involved in social media as well.

Those champions that Mr. Solis mentioned are, definitely going to come from different backgrounds and various departments. We all enter social media with strengths and skills developed in our fields that are areas of specialization, and also with biases and blind spots.

I also realize that some social media champions spend a daily amount of time where it’s just a part of their total responsibility at work, and then there are others who participate in social media as a part that they’ve taken on voluntarily, in addition to their existing workload just because of the proven benefits.

Which side are you on? Where should social media fall in the organizational chart?