6 Tips for Using Social Media

Recently, this toolbox has come to include social media tools. In once sense, social media is little different than more traditional channels. In another, social media offers distinctly new and different considerations for communicators.

The possibility of two-way communication is the most exciting part of social media but it's also the most difficult to understand, master, and use. This built-in interactivity raises the complexity and the risk of the tool. Done properly, social media can be terrifically effective in spreading key messages. Done poorly, it can actually decrease your communications effectiveness.

If you are a novice at social media or just want guiding principles, below is a quick guide. Keep in mind that the one constant across all social media is that it should be used only when appropriate. And the audience, not the organization, dictates this criterion. Respect for the content and functionality needs of the audience is something that we at Synaxis stress when using any communication medium.

1. Care for and feed the social media

The only thing worse than not having a portfolio of social media, is having one and not keeping it alive. When visitors come to your social media pages or your Web site, they look for relevant, timely content. They might be searching for specific information about your products, services or offerings, but they also might be simply browsing, reviewing your content out of curiosity or following up after reading a press release or hearing an opinion about your quality, customer service or integrity. Your information needs to accurately reflect your organization and as well as your current environment. The goal is to have an active, relevant set of social media to encourage bookmarking by readers on their Facebook, Digg, Reddit, del.icio.us, etc. pages.

2. Don't do it until you are ready to execute and follow through

Until you have the infrastructure in place to support the chosen social media outlets, it's best to not start at all. This means that someone is in charge of maintaining and moderating your Facebook group, LinkedIn group, or group on another social networking site. This includes confirming that the messaging is accurate and that nothing inappropriate or inaccurate is being distributed through the group. This also includes accepting members and encouraging involvement of conversation, posting photos, etc.

3. Think about on-ramping and off-ramping

Social media outlets work well as off-ramps to your site, blog, video library, etc. Active members in Facebook, for example, can post stories to their personal page thereby alerting all their friends to the story. Pushing compelling content to those participants on the social media sites encourages sharing. This is how stories, videos, photos, etc. become viral. Additionally, if people have opportunities to read blogs and stories on your site, readership and subscribers (via RSS) will increase along with credibility. Cross promotion will ensure natural gravitation to and from social networking vehicles, such as your blog, to other web sites and resources.

4. Shut down any unofficial groups or bring them into compliance

The biggest issue here is if the unofficial group could be perceived as being official. If the unofficial group is generally harmless, the first step would be to work with the owner to encourage them to comply with your established brand identity. Compliance would include accurate strategy, product and/or program messaging, correct logo usage, and consistent moderation of members, posts, and uploads. If the group owner won't comply, take the necessary steps with the site owner to have the group shut down.

5. Focus on a social media outlet to start

It is best to choose one official social media outlet. The basic reasoning behind this is that, if spread too thin, nothing will survive. The key to a thriving community is activity. Especially in the beginning, the person in charge of the social media strategy will be the primary source of that activity. After there is some inertia and the group has a life of its own, moderation becomes more time-consuming. It is good to have your eye on the active social media outlets, but it is always best to have one that is your audiences’ primary source for information.

6. Cater to your audience's searching needs

Your blog and social media vehicles will have a diverse readership and different segments of your audience will visit to find information on their specific interests and programs. Along with date and author, your blog entries should be searchable by topic headings that correlate to your organization and resources to provide a menu of options for each reader. If you find you need significant text for a topic, break up your content into two or more posts.

By following the above guidelines, you can quickly and easily develop an effective social media strategy.