Putting the Rules of Social Media into Practice

Nearly every social media column I’ve ever written focuses on the one or more of the same six concepts:

1. Produce Content of Value
2. Listen to what other people are saying
3. Look at things through the eyes of others
4. Learn something new every day.
5. Be willing to give back
6. Build new relationships, but don’t neglect the old

Does this really look like a list related to social media? Or is it a list of ideas that could help in just about any aspect of one’s personal or business life?

Do you have an additional bullet point that would make the list stronger? — send me your suggestions and I will consider posting an update (with attribution, if you’d like).

Recently, the pace with which I’ve been navigating this world of social media has been escalating rapidly, and I’ve been asked on numerous occasions to give examples of some of the projects on which I’m working. I’m also frequently asked to explain how the principles I write about work in real life situations.

This week, I have an excellent example that is unfolding as we speak — the Spooky Spectacular Westchester campaign that was launched last Friday by the Westchester County Department of Tourism and Film (a client of Thompson & Bender, the firm where I am employed).

Westchester County Tourism and Film has embraced social media as a way of increasing awareness of the myriad events, activities, businesses and organizations that make Westchester County a great place to live for its residents, and a destination for those who reside outside the county.

A look at the Westchester County Tourism, NY Facebook page reflects the effort by the Tourism Department to do many of the things on the list above. With respect to the first item, producing content of value, the Tourism Department is fortunate — Westchester’s businesses and organizations have already been creating great content in many forms. The role of the Tourism Department is thus more of a content collecter and content broadcaster.

During the month of October, for example, there are dozens of great activities and events taking place — what is really needed is a place where those activities can be centrally located. The Westchester Tourism, NY Facebook page, along with the Tourism website, has become just that place.

Without considering the second item, listen to what other people are saying, the Facebook page would resemble a static website. Social media provides organizations with the opportunity to listen to their fans, and this is an opportunity that Westchester County Tourism and Film takes very seriously. Even with a diligent staff comprised of creative, insightful people, it is very difficult to locate every event and every activity taking place across a county with as many things going on in it as Westchester.

The Facebook page provides organizations and individuals with the opportunity to contribute their updates, comments, photos and links — and to therefore become an active part of the community. Fan participation is an essential part of any community, and it is a component that is not fully appreciated by some businesses or organizations — and not even allowed by others.

The fifth item on the list, be willing to give back, is pretty obvious for an organization like Westchester County Tourism and Film, but it’s an item that many social media users cannot seem to comprehend. As a member of any community, one must give in order to get. And in social media, there are so many ways to give. One of the best examples is ‘liking’ and sharing the content of others. So many social media users operate with a stinginess that would make the Grinch cringe.

When you see content that would be of interest to others in your community — take action, and share that content. Think about it — your simple action is providing real help to two groups at the same time — the business, organization or individual whose content you are sharing AND your fans who will be benefitting from that content.

The Tourism Facebook page is certainly a source of learning something new every day, as new contests and strategies are being employed (and reviewed) on a weekly basis. The page is currently running two distinct contests, with the hope of creating engagement, collecting useful information, and building the fan base. One contest is a photo contest where fans can win dinner for four to one of Westchester’s many great restaurants, and the other is a Halloween getaway contest where two randomly selected fans will win a two-night stay at the Ritz-Carlton Westchester or Tarrytown House Estate and tickets to the Great Pumpkin Blaze, Scared by the Sound, and the Hudson River Museum.

It is hoped that these contests will attract new fans to the page, and will help the page to improve its EdgeRank, the Facebook algorithm that determines the placement of a page’s content in the newsfeeds of its fans.

Looking at things through the eyes of others is another point that most of us refuse to take the time and effort to do. What does your fan see when he or she looks at your page or website? Does the page function well for fans and those who have yet to ‘like’ your page? Is the copy you write easy to understand? What about those pages or tabs you rarely visit? Is the information fresh and accurate? This is really as simple as caring about the experience your fans have, and taking the time to do do something about it.

My returning readers know that I regularly write about all sorts of social media topics, and cover a wide range of business and organization types. I occassionally write about my clients, but more often am writing about things that are pointed out to me by my readers. If you have a topic you’d like me to explore, please send me an email at chris@WestchesterSocialMedia.com.

Chris S. Cornell is the Director of Social Media at Thompson & Bender — a Westchester-based PR, advertising and marketing firm. He manages several online communities, and consults, speaks and writes about social media. You can follow Chris on Twitter, or join the community he manages on the Westchester Social Media Facebook page.