Whether you are a top-notch tweeter or riding in the far right lane of the old information superhighway, some things are just common sense regarding the use of social media:

1. Don't lie about your job history on your LinkedIn profile.
2. Don't post your drunken bachelorette party pics on Facebook.
3. Don't tweet photos of any part of yourself that you wouldn't show gladly on a cross-town bus.

Beyond those tips, the key to using social media is to make sure the mediums you use are in line with your general objectives.       

PCMA's Marketing & Communications Committee has formed a Social Media Task Force to help PCMA members understand which kinds of social media will help them achieve their goals. Built into that concept, is helping members evaluate and define their goals.     

What do people use social media for? Common reasons include: keeping in touch with friends and family; building and maintaining a business network; sharing quick tips; driving friends to cool websites; expressing one's inner philosopher. All of these objectives can be achieved with social media. The trick is to choose the right Web2.0 channel that best fits your goal, and not just "tweet" or "post" without a clear objective.      

Social media committee member Matt Davis of Associated Luxury Hotels International (ALHI) states it simply: It's better to use social media well than just to do it." Bandwagon jumping is natural, of course, especially with companies always looking for new ways to market their products and services. "You don't want to take advantage of your audience's attention span; they already overloaded from email alone."     

VISIT FLORIDA used Twitter masterfully after the gulf oil spill. Matt says,"They drove people to their website where they had webcams capturing the pristine beaches in real time. People who had just assumed that the entire gulf coast was ruined got to see that there were many viable sites not touched by the spill."      

Social media committee member Lesley Kyle, CMP, Director of Event Management at the Society of Plastics Engineers has used Linkedin, Facebook and Twitter to promote meetings, registration discounts and exclusive events to her members. Early in the social media boom, she asked herself, "Why isn't Plastics using these new tools to promote itself and its events?"  In 2008, she founded a group on LinkedIn for people in the plastics industry.  To date, it has grown beyond 7300 members and is the largest group on LinkedIn for her industry. It includes a job board with an average of two job postings and two discussions per day.     

Knowing your audience, and your goals is vital to success with social media.  Feedback from your followers is also essential.  Wanting to show relevant technical skills and stay visible in the industry, I established a Twitter account with the handle "TripleCheckDiva" (because conference professionals surely live in a triple-check world).  I thought my goal was clearly stated in my profile: "As an experienced and fervent conference professional, I believe we can find diamonds of wisdom in the rough and tumble lives of celebrities, both dead and alive!" A sample tweet: "Shirley Maclaine once mistook a bowl of cocaine for sugar. Make sure your banquet captain labels all condiments!"     

A trusted friend said, "Leslie, I don't think your tweets are working the way you'd like them too; I'm not sure they are truly professional." So, I unlinked my Twitter account from my LinkedIn profile. Off the bandwagon and back to the drawing board.     

Educating NYPCMA members about social media and its many uses is the chapter's social media committee's goal. Comprised of Matt Davis, Lesley Kyle (CMP), and Molly Martinez, the committee is in the process of revitalizing the Chapter's online social networking presence. Focusing first on LinkedIn, the team will try to foster networking opportunities, grow membership and initiate an ongoing dialog amongst members over the coming months. Beginning in June, the Chapter will feature a guest moderator who will seed discussions and moderate dialog on the Chapter's LinkedIn page.