How Big Companies Use Social Media
New York City | April 29, 2009
Sean Gannon & Megan Parker
General Electric
“Telling Our Story”

GE Reports
And now for something
completely different …
p y
(at l t i f
( t least it is for us)
)

We cover a lot of topics…
Appliances Aviation biogas careers China citizenship communications customers
digital diversity ecomagination Energy Energy Financial Services
financial markets Fleet Services GE Capital GE Foundation
C it l
GE Money GE Research global Healthcare hulu.com hybrid
innovation iinvestors J ff Immelt Jenbacher lighting microfinance
t Jeff I lt b h li h i i fi
nanotechnology NBC Universal Oil & Gas olympic games policy products
Rail renewables Security services strategy training Transportation Water

But finance draws the most interest
Some of the most-visited stories:
– World’s largest Jenbacher engine order
– GE Capital sells $6 5B of debt
$6.5B
– Moody’s rating review
– Dividend
d d
– CEO compensation

We want to:
• Continue to meet financial news needs
• Aid GE’s breaking news efforts
• Expand with technology innovation stories
• Demystify the science

Our current audience
• Major news and financial sites/blogs
• Investors
• Some of the most commented stories:
– CEO Compensation 134
– Dividend reduced
i id d d d 68
– ‘25 Random Things’ 41
– CEO di id d comments
dividend t 37

Customize your consumption

GEreports.com – Reader comments
I dont see a blog site [other companies] set up for us shareholders to rip into em, … can you tell me another
company thats set up a site where all of us can chip these board members or have our say…
Comment on “Jeff Immelt on 2008 compensation”
Was glad to hear the positive info from Keith Sherin and want to say how much I like the \"gereports\";. I
am a retired 73 year old and have half of my retirement in GE Stock and have for over 35 years…
Comment on “Keith Sherin says GE Capital concerns are ‘overdone’”
I would think th t GE would understand b now th t investors only
ld thi k that ld d t d by that want to see information about GE
Capital… Take a poll and I am sure you will find that your marketing stories are not well
received and actually upset the investor…
Comment on “Ready for take-off in China”
Nano coating on airplane engines wings could reduce the problem of de-icing, and save energy and more
important lives. With GE nothing is impossible…
Comment on Superhydrophobic-expialidocious
Im
I’m curious how the efficiency of the Jenbacher engine (when it runs on ordinary natural gas) compares with high-
high
end central station technology such as the GE \"H\" series turbines. I understand that in areas without a well-
developed grid the Jenbacher may be a good solution, but I’m wondering how much these places will be
able to upgrade their efficiency when they *do* have a grid in place.
Comment on GE completes world’s largest Jenbacher engine order
p g g

Audience we want to grow
• General
• Tech & science enthusiasts
• Non-traditional, non mainstream
Non traditional non-mainstream media
• GE Reports’ ‘voice’ offers a great opportunity
– Increased use of video and photos
– No frills, simple, informal messages
– Tone that’s optimistic first-person where possible
that s optimistic, first person
– Humor, when we can

Technology & innovation stories
• Breakthroughs & science: “Wow” factor
Wow
• Applied technology (now & potential)
• People behind the innovation
• Big & small stories to create many entry points
– Steady stream of interesting news
– Show how diversified our portfolio is
– Allows “small stories to get the spotlight too
small stories” spotlight,
– Links to other media & blogs

Serious stuff, but having fun

Our vaunted Vulcan logic

Humor, when we can
tk

We’d like to
• Be trusted credible, accurate ethical
trusted, credible accurate,
• Have our own personality
– Passion for the cool technology
– Eager to join other conversations about GE
– Unearth stories lost in the shuffle
– Make the big stories accessible

How Big Companies Use Social Media
Learn more about upcoming and past BlogWells:
http://gaspedal.com/blogwell
or
live@gaspedal.com