At last year’s Buzz2009 Social Media for Association Leaders, we asked our panel of social-media experts for the No. 1, most powerful tip they would give about social media and developing a social strategy. Despite the many different approaches to social media, the experts came to one conclusion: Keep it simple.
Here’s a quick roundup of their top tips:
- Keep it real. Don’t try too hard — think about the personality of your brand and stick to it. Authenticity is paramount — Stephanie Miller, Return Path
- Make it easy. Encourage sharing of your content but don’t overwhelm your audience with choices. The less choices people have, the better — Guy Kawasaki, Alltop
- Encourage customer participation. Get your constituents involved to make them feel smart and “in the know” — it will make them feel more connected to your brand and get people talking — Stacy Kane, California Tortilla
- Ask for help. People want to help you and share your stuff, so allow them to do so using the tool, medium or technique of their choice. It makes people feel good that they can help your organization — Andy Sernovitz, Gaspedal
For more tips from social-media experts on open leadership, risk management and return on investment, check out SmartBrief and SocialFish’s summer breakfast series Buzz2010, starting this Wednesday.
See the experts’ full responses here:
Buzz2010 Social Media for Association Leaders is a series of breakfast meetings in which top association and nonprofit executives can hear directly from the leading minds in social media for business. Register here.