When we come across the term ‘social business’, it’s natural to immediately think of company Facebook pages and some high-powered executives tweeting. As marketing managers and branding specialists have discovered, becoming a truly ‘social’ business requires more than just a mastery of the usual social media platforms. A social media presence is just one part of a wider strategy that being ‘social’ demands of any business.

Mike Stopforth, CEO of strategic communications agency Cerebra, defines social business as ‘the application of social platforms and social principles to all business practices’.