Keeping "Social Media" Social...

Engaging your customers through social media can feel daunting.

It requires a steady stream of useful content, and the capacity to ask and respond to questions. And there's always the pressure to be there, 24/7.

Help though is springing up everywhere. Tech companies offer to automate content, agencies offer to run your social media presence for you.

But before rushing to automate or outsource, ask yourself why it's called "social" media in the first place.

It enables people to interact, to share information, opinions, and emotions. People are social with people, not brands. If it were as simple as automation or outsourcing, then free customer service lines would be everybody's best friend.

So first, why not make social media a business-wide enterprise?

Enable the employee who has got the content, to share the content.

Enable the employee who knows the answer, to give the answer.

Of course, it's not without risk. Any conversation can quickly reach hundreds and thousands of people, and remains a permanent record. Sensible policies need to be put in place. And it's essential that you've first established a brand culture, where the company lives and breathes the brand.

But think of the upside.

You're hosting a party where your customers and employees intermingle, and engage.

What could be more social... or more powerful...?