It appears as though social media has truly reached the tipping point for mainstream America.  The innovators that have been blogging, Tweeting, Facebooking, YouTubing and using various other social media outlets have a lot more company these days.  For those of you familiar with the Innovation Curve, the late majority has arrived!  A large part of the growth of social media pivots around the realization that businesses can achieve greater exposure via social media.  Business owners and companies recognize that they can control a message and disseminate it at a minimal cost in comparison to other media outlets, and they want to reap the benefits.

For those of you that are new to social media there are some things that you will want to avoid.

Social Media Law #1

A major mistake is employing one approach for several different social media outlets.  Do not do this, approach each outlet authentically and keep the target audience in mind.  Take the time to research the social media sites and select ones that seem most relevant to your company.  Make sure you have outlined marketing objectives and have an understanding of the functionality of each outlet.  Approach each profile differently based on the social media outlet and craft meaningful messages that are relevant and timely to the target audience.

Social Media Law #2

Incomplete profiles are not a good idea.  Creating incomplete profiles all over the web is not something any company should aspire to.  Without a comprehensive profile you cannot expect to engage with prospects and clients.  Would you be interested in a profile that is not complete and lacks meaningful information?  Underdeveloped profile information can lead people to several conclusions that are not conducive to success in business.  A prospect that is looking up your company may assume that you are no longer in business or perhaps that you lack the ability to finish a project.  That is not the type of message you want to convey to clients and prospects.  Take the time to complete personalize your profile.

Social Media Law #3

Give people compelling information and they are more likely to engage with you. There is so much information available on the Internet and with real time updates it is important to have current information.  Keep your readers interested and make regular updates to all the profiles you create.  If you start a blog, make a commitment and stick to it and post articles on a frequent basis.  Outdated sites speak volumes about the culture of your organization and can lead clients and prospects to believe that you lack time management or perhaps you abandon projects.

Social Media Law #4

Assign a dedicated individual or group to manage your social media campaigns.  Make sure you do your research and set measurable goals and objectives for your social media campaigns.  In the event you do not have the time/staff to dedicate to social media employ a company or an individual that understands social media and can help you achieve your goals.  Be sure to research your audience and set up a realistic social media strategy.  Once you have a strategy in place be sure to stick with it long enough to measure the results and decide where your energy with be most effective.  Best wishes with your social media endeavors!