By now, it is pretty much an accepted truth that if you own a business or lead an organization, you need to be doing social media, right? Of course.

Social media is a fantastic way to build your platform, connect you with a larger audience, and create loyalty. But how do you know you are choosing the right platforms, messaging, and tactics?

Article after article discusses hot new platforms and apps where you “simply must” be engaged with your customers. This can lead to a waste of time and money for organizations. Before you are talked into social media strategies that frankly don't work or aren't a good fit for your particular organization, it is a good idea to get an understanding of the basics.

When used effectively, social media marketing should be a powerful part of your overall audience development strategy.

Our goal is to give you a basic understanding of how social media can be used optimally for your business. We'll start by going over some basic definitions and then move into some strategy concepts that will help you identify your needs. From the basics to a few more obscure topics, this guide should help answer some of your questions.