How do I learn more about social media?

• Author: Kincy, Jason
• Position: Social Media

My CEO is interested in our bank getting involved in social media but I don't know much about it. How do I learn more?

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One of the things that makes social media an interesting and exciting avenue to connect with your customers is the constant growth and evolution of the medium. Unfortunately this is also what makes social media a mystery to most bankers. Unless you were an early adopter of social networking Web sites, you likely have limited knowledge or experience with how businesses are leveraging this growing communication revolution. Your bank management is depending on you to guide them down the social media path, so you need to get up to speed quickly.

Some bankers say they just don't "get" social networking. "Who cares if I just had a sandwich?" "Why would anyone post what they are doing all day long?" are common questions. The truth is that such trivial use of social networking Web sites is the exception rather than the norm. Most participants use social networking to share information, reconnect with old friends or to learn from others. Repetitive, trivial posting is generally frowned upon and more meaningful communication is encouraged. So, how do you tell the difference between social spam and valuable communication? How do you learn the most effective way to communicate in social spaces?

Step one is to participate in social media at a personal level. Sign up for an account on sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter or other social networking Web sites. Talk to your friends, family members and co-workers about how they use these sites and how they interact with businesses or organizations via these channels. By immersing yourself into the social networking community, you will gain a clearer picture of how your customers and prospects interact with each other. (Be sure to explore and experiment in these online spaces as an individual--not as a representative of your bank.)

Another...