A little social media 101 I did for the agency a while back (that’s your truly on the V.O.).

A single, central web destination is no longer enough. You need to be where your customers already are. How well distributed are you now? Do you offer opportunities for full engagement in each of your satellites, or do you only have a central presence? Are you providing tools to empower your customers to easily share your information and broaden your network organically?

The nature of web content and communication has changed dramatically in just the last few years. Marketers are now faced with daunting new challenges as well as unique new opportunities to initiate real relationships faster and more authentically than ever before. One advantage of the user-empowered nature of the digital channel is that resource needs are substantially different than in the traditional channels, or even than in the early days of the Internet: Money is not as critical as information, know-how, and personnel.

Social Media Satellites
What does it mean to put a brand in orbit? It means creating a robust, comprehensive, interactive presence for the brand in places where prospects and customers are most likely to find it. It is becoming less and less likely for visitors to leave the comfort of their favorite network to engage with a brand at a disconnected location using the methods laid out by the brand.

Social media satellites include:

• Blogs – professional and personal
• Micro-blogs like Twitter
• Consumer review sites
• Social networks like Facebook
• Professional networks like Linked-In
• Vertical market portals like ITtoolbox and LawLink
• Apps for smart phones
• Widgets for personal pages

Evaluate your presence in social media and make recommendations for improving your ability to reach current customers and new prospects online.