Recently I had the pleasure of meeting with a brand that’s been around for years.  The team was excited to learn about social media, and in fact had already begun to engage in Twitter and Facebook. They were stuck with a common conundrum that brands are encountering today.  Who will own social media?  In the room were marketing people, email people, PR people it was packed. I started the meeting by congratulating them. They had taken the first step in becoming a dominant player in the social space. Admitting that they had gotten to a point where they finally needed help.  They couldn’t manage the Twitter account anymore. They couldn’t keep up with Wall posts on their Facebook page.  So now what?

They told me throughout our time together that they were having trouble finding a “hook” in the social media environment. They were dealing with an identity crisis of sorts.

1. Should they leverage Twitter as customer service, or only make it promotional. Should they update wall posts daily, or shut them down completely?

My answer to them was do what feels right. If  three people understand your brand the best in your company than allow them to manage the Twitter account. Once they start to engage they’ll get a better feel for why people follow them, and how they should engage.

2. What content should they provide? They should open a dialogue, and the content will flow from there. Consumers will dictate what they expect from you. Be too promotional, and you’ll lose followers on Twitter, and fans on Facebook.

3. How often should they engage? Facebook status should be updated less than tweeting. Usually once a day should suffice (content dependent upon the brand).