Having spent some time in the military, I’m all for differentiating between social media tactics and social media strategy. When it comes to social media, however, many companies overlook, or are not aware of the power and the implications that exist with engaging the company in social media. Consequently, companies will rush in to get a Facebook page, a blog or some other social media profile because “everyone is doing it,” and they fail to set up a strategy, a plan for their activities. The resulting abandoned blog, and Facebook fanpage with little activity is proof to them that this “whole social media thing” doesn’t really work.

But this is not true. A company wouldn’t be successful without a business strategy. In the same way, social media engagement can only be successful if and when the company is willing to … Read More »

NACAC 2008 was a very interesting experience for me.  I have been in web marketing and social media for years now, and it still amazes me how little attention is given to the subject.  As more high school students – who have grown up with social media as part of their lives – graduate, many colleges and universities are missing an incredible opportunity to connect with them.

In most of the conversations I had with higher education professionals at NACAC, the subject of social media came up. Often, the biggest question was: “how do I start?” Here are my three top questions you should ask when considering a campaign that includes social media channels.

1. What is the goal of my campaign?

Identifying your goal will allow you to answer the next two questions. Clients frequently identify only one goal, which is completely … Read More »