Give a little bit

Social Media is two-way communication.  Give and take.  Whether you are a business or an individual, you need to give something of yourself.  For businesses this means you need to give your fans and followers something of value, whether this is helpful information or a special deal for your fans.

Social Media is not an advertising medium in the traditional sense of the word.  It is a communication vehicle allowing a business to speak directly with their fans or followers, it is not intended to be a direct sales vehicle. We don’t want businesses to tease us with a headline then find out they are simply selling a seminar or DVD.

For individuals, yes, there are some people out there who post way too much information, but there are others (you know who you are) who never post at all.  You are our friend, we follow you, we want to know what you are up to.

To be honest, I have been guilty of this myself, keeping up with my friends by reading their posts, but not offering anything of me to the conversation.  We are being the equivalent of social media voyeurs!  Well all that has changed  My friends on Facebook and followers on Twitter will be hearing more about me — but not too much….

When used to encourage communication and dialogue, social media is a valuable tool for businesses and individuals, otherwise it may deteriorate into a vehicle for mindless dribble.