“Social media is a shift in how people discover, read and share news, information and content.” –Wikipedia Social Media

Social Media: What Is Wrong

A large number of companies base their “social media” messages and strategies on actions that are not social nor interactive:

• Broadcasting: broadcast messages that inform their audience about events, product launches, or developments pertaining to the company business without monitoring reactions or interactions from their audience
• Announcements: announcing special offers, discount savings, or limited time deals that appear more like spam than valuable information
• Crowdsourcing: asking their audience for ideas about their products, services, or changes that would benefit the company without interacting directly with the audience

5 Strategies of Interactive Communication

Interactive strategies would create far more engagement, better relationships, and return visits for companies than “social media” strategies that do not have an interactive component. The following are examples of interactive strateies:

1. Engage: engage with anyone who has responded to your social media efforts. If a company has a Facebook page, they must interact with the fans that communicate directly with their brand.
2. Recognize: recognize people-companies publicly for participating in a discussion. If a company is on Twitter then they must follow all who follow them regardless of their business. Recognizing your audience, even those who are uninterested in engaging, will ensure you reach all possible opportunities
3. Research: research people-companies that seek to provide feedback. Find out who they are and what their business is all about before engaging in interactive communications. A simple Google or Linkedin search will provide the necessary information
4. First Interaction: stop waiting for your audience to ask the first question or make a request. Proactively target your audience, performing research first to determine who you wish to engage, and make the first interaction and communication with them.
5. Do Not Ask: do not ask innocuous self serving questions, designed to create answers that support the company, that provide no interactive opportunities or value to the audience