While social media sites are dominated by individual users, an increasing number of businesses are adopting the applications. One of the companies making significant inroads as a way to reach and engage customers is H&R Block.
Yep, the tax preparation giant, whose franchise shops are best known for filling out millions of 1040s nationwide and, in recent years, dealing with the backlash against refund anticipation loans, now has incorporated blogging, YouTube, MySpace, FaceBook and Second Life as ways to reach taxpayers. Heck, the company even Twitters.
Spearheading the convergence of social media and taxes for Block is Paula W. Drum, the firm’s vice president of marketing for digital tax solutions. Shel Israel, author, technology adviser and social media guru, recently spoke with Drum about her role and efforts to reposition the Kansas City, Mo.-based company as an overall tax expert by using, in part, innovative social media programs.
You can read Israel’s conversation with Drum at Social Media for Taxing Situations.
In this case at least, Block’s efforts are succeeding. I found Israel’s item on H&R Block not from the usual suspects touting tax info, but from another, nontax person’s Twittering about the interview.
