Embracing customers through SM

This post is somewhat self-explanatory, but I like it. Here are some practical tips on how to embrace your customer through social media. After all, that's one of its primary purposes.

It just won't die

This topic, paid blog posts/ghostwriting, is being killed just for the sake of watching it die. This time Groundswell has a post (a good one by the way) about why sponsored conversations can make sense.

Setting Social Media Expectations

I think this post was written more for personal social media use, but I think it could apply to companies as well. Setting realistic expectations is a pretty critical step when using social media.

Ghostwriting and Bill Sledzik

The drama around ghostwriting blogs continues with this post from Bill Sledzik. I definitely don't feel as the purists do--ghostwriting is 100% wrong. I do feel, however, that putting out overly refined messaging via social media is dangerous, and probably not effective. The best brands let the conversations flow, they don't try and force the conversations on their communities. Anyway, what do you think?

Social media driving coverage?

Here are some great tips on how you can use existing social media conversations to drive media coverage. I don't think I've ever seen this approach before, but I like it.

Twitter Expert or Advocate?

I liked this post because it shows that you don't have to be a social media (in this case, Twitter) expert to be influential. If you're an advocate, and help people through SM challenges, it's likely going to be returned to you 10x over.

Can brands respond to all customers in social media?

It really is an interesting problem that faces many of the larger brands. Can they possibly respond to every customer complaint/inquiry that happens in social media? The answer is probably no. However, it's probably a slippery slope to look like you are playing favorites by only responding to the "social media elite." That's why I liked this post from Jason Falls. He recaps two incidents he's had recently that both received resolution, while two of his friends were not nearly as lucky. Jason has about 7,000 Twitter followers. Curious...are we paying so much attention to influencers in our own analyses for clients that we are losing sight of what social media is really about--listening and engaging?