Social Media: A simple concept

Author: Emily Crumrine, AMR Marketing Coordinator

Times change, we all understand this.

Facebook in its first night of existence on Harvard’s campus reportedly gained 1200 members in 24 hours. The first Twitter post was sent March of 2006 and 2 years later this “little birdie” had more than 4 million followers.

These facts don’t just signify a new fad like boy bands or bad perms. Since that night back in early 2004 (yes Facebook is only 5 years old), Facebook has initiated a shift so large that it has impacted nearly every facet of our society. We have overhauled our marketing strategies, become only one of many sources of information, and most importantly changed the way we communicate, forever. Everyone knows these three facts.

There has been so much attention given to how to implement social media for associations it can seem a bit overwhelming. Understanding the bigger purpose of social media though can help you understand how to put it to use and fulfill your needs. The company Common Craft has put together a video that may help you understand the larger purpose of social media and therefore, how it can be used to benefit your association.

We’ve all heard about the importance of social media and how it can grow a business, association, or the awareness of an important issue. What are you doing with it? Is it working? We’d love to hear your thoughts.