Customize your social media efforts

As we head into 2010, what are you doing to differentiate your business? You’re on Twitter, you might even have a blog. Your updates are infrequent (like my blog) and inconsistent. Yet you still wonder when this social media thing is going to start to benefit your business. Maybe you read Mashable, you have the latest smartphone and you frequent your area’s Social Media Breakfast. It all sounds great, but you still are unable to find any measurable successes of your efforts. If this describes you, as it should, you need to stop going along for the ride and start your own race. Individuals and businesses need to focus on customization of their social efforts, or they’re doomed for mediocrity and/or failure.Does your social campaign stand out? Does your community even know you’re online? Or are you like the picture above – an identical replica of the houses around you? Growing up, we all had that house on our block that stood out. Whether it was because they owners didn’t take care of it, it was oddly built, or in my case the house was pink, we all had “that house”. Laugh no more, it’s that house that stands out from the crowd that’s finding success in the social space.

You’re on Twitter and you might even have a blog that’s updated on occasion. But what are you doing differently that your competitor down the street isn’t? Are you incorporating video? Are you providing your community with useful information, or simply pushing out ads? Stand out, take that bold leap. The social space rewards educated gambles.

For individuals, are you linking to other people’s blogs? Are you commenting or simply reading and moving on? Are you sharing useful information or simply taking up space? Make sure your blog is easily viewable on a mobile device – this is very important, yet often disregarded. Are you taking advantage of photos and videos?

The beauty of social media is that it’s highly customizable, yet very few businesses and individuals are taking advantage of the resources in front of them. They feel simply being online is enough. Yet they wonder why they aren’t achieving the goals that are set. Take that extra step, go that extra mile and customize your social efforts. Become that ugly pink house on the block. It may appear ugly, but people remember it. It stands out.