Starting your social media over?

As we enter a new year, many people and organizations are thinking about how the last year went and where the new year can go. Making resolutions, setting goals, and even drawing boundaries. Beth Kanter recently posed a great question:

What if I could start all my social media and nonprofits work over from scratch? What would I do differently? What lessons have I learned that will stick with me for 2008?

It has garnered some equally great responses. What would I say? Well…

1. Community is key – Talking to and talking with your community are two very different things. Asking questions, responding to answers, and seeking out connections really do make a difference.

2. Blogs are conversations and more – On a blog, you can deliver news and information, start and carry out conversations, and even provide “static” content. What does this really mean? Just as Britta Bravo explained, a blog can be your entire web site!

3. Social media tools assigned last – Forrester’s POST method is one of the best, and simplest, assets for nonprofits designing a social media strategy. I covered the POST method when it was first released and hope I can continue to use it to help make strategy design a less painful experience.

4. Stay optimistic – There is truly such a thing as information (or social media) overload. It is easy to get overwhelmed and walk, or rather run, away. Do not fear! If you stay optimistic and approach your social media strategy and usage calmly (and use the POST method!), you can have the patience to filter out the noise and hear the important conversations.

What lessons have you learned and what lessons do you hope to play by in 2008?