Thank you so much for your positive feedback and for your questions. It is exactly the type of input I was looking for from the business community.

There is no “one size fits all” blueprint, and as you stated, companies need to identify their goals and gain a better understanding of this skill, as it has become a prevalent way of conducting business.

I hope my experiences and observations in this field will provide sound, useful information for others, as well as address your specific questions.

Best,

Lisa

You raise some very interesting issues in this solid piece. This post begs overarching questions like: How should businesses use social media to engage their followers and build communities? And: What is the role of community managers? Are they entrusted counselors, consumer advocates with a vested interest, or customer service agents?

The answers will depend on the type of organization, how it wants to relate to its customers, and its corporate “personality”. But, it’s valuable to do this kind of soul searching before implementing a social media campaign.

The self-proclaimed social media “experts” are quick to offer advice, but they provide weak evidence, except for anecdotal observations, to substantiate their claims. This area of practice is young, maturing before our eyes, and undergoing rapid change.

I’m more inclined to trust the judgments of thoughtful observers who admit that they’re not absolutely certain about how all of this is going to shake out. In the end, we’re well served by applying a good dose of common sense, and that’s what you’re providing your readers.

Like all thoughtful essays, yours raises questions which will help inform and enlighten us.

Steve