By now you’ve probably created a facebook page, a twitter handle, and maybe even a LinkedIn profile. But if you’re anything like some I work closely with, you’re sitting there with a “what now?!” look on your face trying to decide exactly what a “Like” or “Retweet” means, how it translates into the powerful interactive marketing tool everyone’s buzzing about.
First things first: identify a goal. Are you looking for an outlet to convey information? Are you hoping to inspire action? Do you want to promote a highly interactive sense of community? There is no definitely-right way to approach social media. Experts may encourage one way or another, but the truth is, social media plans must be tailor-fit for each organization.
The Center for American Progress’s Alan Rosenblatt, Ph.D. devised this chart to aid in identifying a social media objective:
| 1-D | 2-D | 3-D |
| Information | Action | Community |
| One-way Communication | Two-way Communication | All-way Communication |
| Audience Interacts with Information | Audience Interacts with Campaign, Organization, or Government | Audience Interacts with Each Other |
| Email Lists & Brochure Websites (Broadcast & Narrowcast) | Transactional Websites (Information Exchange, Donations, & Action) | Social Networks & Social Media (Grassroots & Grasstops) |
Tags: digital communication, digital community, facebook, linkedin, sharing information across online platforms, social media, social media plan, twitter
