Social Media: It's about conversation

There are a few things I've learnt since getting into the social media game, but the most important one is to listen.

There is a place for RSS content, feeds and posting links – but spamming your subscribers is going to get you unsubscribed faster then anything.

If you want to grow your SM presence, the first thing to do is adjust your mindset.

Traditional media is broadcast based. New media is a conversation.

In the past, to a certain extent television, radio and print have dictated content to the user. Success was gauged after the fact via circulation and ratings. New media shifts that paradigm - both the you and your consumers can see comments, re-tweets, or views in real time. Put simply: Instant, accurate feedback.

Take that a step further; You can immediately respond to your consumers, providing a personalised experience which wins them over. The consumer then subconsciously changes their relationship with you from occasional customer to loyal friend. Once that happens, they will seek you out, buy your products, listen to your recommendations as they would from a friend - because in a sense that is what you are. Positive word of mouth has always been the best form of advertising - and that's exactly what Social Media is.

There’s always going to be the push from traditionalists to quantify social media with ROI, but as one analyst asks “What’s the ROI of your phone?”. Although many of the return aspects of SM are directly intangible, they do exist.

So turn off your feeds and talk to your subscribers, not at them... And when they talk back, listen.

After all, it's about a conversation.