Social Media Ground Rule # 5: Integration

Here we are at the last 'rule' of social media...of course, these are really guidelines meant to help you shape your own social media presence. Of all of the rules, integration is the one that many organizations overlook, but it's key in maximizing your brand's meaning in the marketplace and leveraging the ROI from all of your other communications efforts.

Make sure that you create a 'closed loop' of connections between the content and calls to action that you use on social media sites and the rest of your marketing, whether it is a web site, a brochure, or a presentation. Consistency of message, content, and values is as key for social platforms as it is for anything else you add to your marketing mix.