Now that we’re officially into 2010, we thought we’d make some resolutions. No, we haven’t decided to swear off Coke, commit to a rigid daily workout or stop calling our ex-girlfriend and breathing heavily into the receiver. While that last one might be appropriate, especially in light of the restraining order, we’ve decided to focus our resolutions on social media. So here are the top five social media resolutions every communications professional should have in this New Year:

1. I will not jump blindly into social media until I have identified my audiences, goals and results.
2. I will not pretend to be an unbiased message board/blog reader when I comment about my company – If I do, people will find out, and the backlash will be severe.
3. I will actually dedicate the time it takes to maintain my social media tools. Contrary to popular belief, social media is not “free” – it takes hours every week, between strategy, content development and engagement with readers.
4. I will offer real value to my social media audience, whether in the form of insights, entertainment or deals.
5. I will listen to and respond quickly to my audience. Social media allows for faster engagement than any other medium. But if we’re slow to interact with them, they’ll go elsewhere.

Cheers!

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