Focus More on the SOCIAL not the MEDIA

This will be a quick post, but I want to reiterate the importance of the social part in Social Media. Just because you are on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Digg, etc. doesn't mean you will automatically transform your business into an Internet sensation. If you think by simply tweeting "buy our product" that millions of people will follow you, you will be set up for disappointment and failure.

Social Media isn't that much different than traditional marketing in some aspects. Your end goal is to increase brand awareness and keep your business "top of mind" with the appropriate demographic (aka your core customers). So why then do companies still expect to get a million followers on Twitter and a million fans on Facebook by simply signing up and sending some general, boring messages? If you run a TV commercial / print ad that simply says "Hi we're company X, buy our product" it won't succeed. However if you make yourself stand out from the crowd (like Geico does with their Cavemen commercials or how Budweiser did with the frogs) you are likely to see more success. The same applies to Social Media. You can't just throw something to the wall and see if it sticks. You need to communicate properly and make yourself stand out in order to succeed. Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Digg, LinkedIn, etc. are only successful if you use them properly.

Again, by having a "I need to be on Twitter so let make as much noise as possible" mentality, you will fail. Focus on the Social more than the Media.