Getting Started in Social Media

It seems everyone is doing it and you're a little embarrassed to admit that you haven't a clue. It's easier to do nothing with social media, then to ask questions at this point, right? Wrong. Social Media is here to stay (although the networks may change), so it's better to start now than not at all.  The following are some useful links to reading materials that will help you start your plan.

Getting Started:
These readings go over the whole process in an easy-to-read way:
Starting in Social Media - Social Media Today
Social Media Strategy Whitepaper - Sally Falkow
Social Media Strategy - Expansion Plus (a personal favorite)

Every plan for social media should include guidelines for all of those responsible for your social media efforts -- what is allowed, what isn't -- so the message remains consistent. Here are some examples from which to create your own:

The Ultimate List of Social Media Policies for Churches & Ministries
Online Database of Social Media - Social Media Governance
5 Noteworthy Examples of Corporate Social Media Policies

So, some reading to get you started thinking about what all this social media stuff means. Next week, we'll begin going through the strategy step-by-step (using the Expansion Plus example as our guide).