Social Media Reality Check

Having just completed a comprehensive impact analysis of a client's blogsite which showed nearly 50% growth (fiscal year ending 2009 over 2008), I wanted to touch on a few points related to businesses (and individuals) going ga-ga over "social media".

All media is "social"; the people that come in contact with your content impacts each of them at a social level. They might learn something; they might share it; they might ask you for help, and they might even decide to do business with you. The bottom line - it's just content. This is the driving force of business on the web and at its core - it's simply people talking to each other. If you try to make it more complicated or allow it to define you or your business, you should think twice because you’re about to drive off the road and deep into into Social Media Technogeekery – a very dark place.

Your blogsite is a core marketing asset that serves as central location for developing new conversations that hopefully lead to new business. It should be no more complex than that. Strategically, the [MyST] platform is designed to continually increase the size and dominance of your social media foundation. Our platform also includes business rules and back-office intelligence and automation services that ensure findability in as many places as possible, thus allowing you to focus on the most important aspect of marketing communications, your writing.

Louis Gray recently wrote an excellent piece about the future of your business blog content. In it he says that your blog is what defines your business - "...it is the foundation and center of who you are".

Here are my top 7 tips to businesses that are serious about social media (i.e., "media")...

1. Social media is simply people talking to people.
2. Don't do social media because everyone else is doing it; instead, get involved to communicate your passion for your business.
3. If you're going to say something to your audience, make sure it's a message you truly care about.
4. Using social media (or any wizbang technology) is not a magic bullet, it's a lot of work and requires a passion for communicating.
5. The number of people following your social media is important only to the extent that the most passionate and persuasive thought leaders in your industry are listening.
6. There is no finish line in social media.
7. Just write about your business passion.

Take your time, go slow, and plan your strategy – there’s no rush.