If You're Going to Use Social Media, Use It Right!

In a recent posting by Anthony Miyazaki, he posed the question "Is online social media crucial?" I would think that first we need to define what the word "crucial" represents to the company. Is it crucial to the immediate success of the company? Or is it crucial to the company's long-term growth and sustainability?

I believe that if a company is going to embark on a journey within social media, it should eat, sleep, and breathe these 21 rules of engagement that Brian Solis so brilliantly listed. It is crucial that a company not take social media lightly as social media is the future of businesses. If a company chooses to go the route of using social media to promote its business and its brand, it should do so properly and to the best of its ability.

There are also several frameworks by which a company can choose to integrate social media into its marketing strategy. As Jordan Julien posted, "It's important to know what model you plan on following, and map out the way to achieve your goals." As with any successful marketing campaign, whether it involves the use of social media or not, it is important to do just that!