What is Your Personal Online Social Media Strategy?

What is your purpose for wanting to use social media technologies? Do you have one? Have you given thought to your online social media strategy or are you simply joining social media technologies because it’s a trend or someone invited you?  Take a moment to think about your purpose for wanting to use and be connected to social media technologies.

Over the years, I have studied and read dozens of books related to social media technologies, completed a master’s thesis and project related to this topic, and given numerous presentations on “Social Media: The Do’s and Don’ts of Branding Your Online Image.”  Here are a few suggestions how you can use social media more strategically:

• Create positive messages about your employer and business to help boost sales and business. 
• Connect with businesses in your industry so you can learn how and what similar businesses are doing to stay competitive in today’s economy. 
• Use social media as a listening tool to learn what’s going on among those in your network.
• Join and participate in online groups specific to your career.
• Engage your audience by communicating messages that people will care about. 
• Use social media to promote causes that you want to support. It’s important to communicate the information multiple times in different ways to grab the attention of your audience.
• Social media is about people. How will you connect with them and with what frequency? Will you take the time to connect with them one-on-one versus only using social media to promote your message?
• Share with your online network when you are out of work and looking for employment. Many job openings are not advertised. Post multiple times throughout the week what type of work you are looking for and ask for job leads.
• Social media is intended for two-way communication. Encourage your audience to participate by asking questions and creating polls. Take a few moments each week to comment on what others are sharing on social media technologies.

Learning about social media technologies and creating a personal online social media strategy has produced many favorable results in my life. I challenge you to think more strategically about how you use social media when communicating with your online networks.