What's the Value of Social Media?

Remember the good old days when creating and maintaining a good Web site meant that your firm had its finger on the global business pulse? Nowadays, that may not be enough, as social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter have become not only mainstays of our popular culture, but potentially powerful communications tools.

Social media provides a means of sharing information and breaking news that affects you and your industry, while driving web traffic and establishing valuable industry links. According to a recent marketing article, "There is no other low-cost promotional method that will easily give you large numbers of visitors, some of whom may come back to your Web site again and again. Those who ignore the efficacy of social media usually fall into three categories: the ones who don't know much or anything about social media; the ones who are interested but don't know how to use it; and those who don't believe in the value that a social media strategy can bring to any site or business."

What value can social media outlets provide your firm, and what are your plans for making them a part of your communications strategy?

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