How Southwest manages its popular social media sites

Its Twitter feed, which abounds with “thank you” tweets and @mentions, has more than 1.2 million followers. Nearly 2 million people “like” the airline’s comment-packed Facebook page, and its blog Nuts About Southwest is an industry standard.

The airline soars to such social media heights because it fosters a culture of communication, says Laurel Moffat, a communications specialist at Southwest. The culture starts with Southwest’s popular intranet and its family vibe, and it extends to its customer service teams.

“We’re all communicators,” Moffat tells PR Daily, adding that all members of the Southwest team embrace being “spokespeople” for the company.

Of course, good intentions alone won’t manage a massive social media following. For that, the three-person team uses social media management tools. Team members coordinate their efforts using CoTweet for Twitter and Facebook. The tool enables them to assign tasks—for instance, they each have a shift to cover—and monitor key words and campaigns.