Early on someone said, "Twitter is fun but it isn't useful. Ev said, "Neither is ice cream." So what if it's just fun?
I don't want to use a tool unless I'm going to use it really well. Doing any of these things halfway is worse than not at all. People don't want a mediocre interaction.
Quit counting fans, followers and blog subscribers like bottle caps. Think, instead, about what you're hoping to achieve with and through the community that actually cares about what you're doing.
If the Army can figure out how to do secure social networking and break down silos and encourage informal problem solving within a rigid hierarchy, surely your business can.
What used to be cigarette breaks could turn into 'social media breaks' as long as there is a clear signal and IT isn't looking.
Social media isn't the end-all-be-all, but it offers marketers unparalleled opportunity to participate in relevant ways. It also provides a launchpad for other marketing tactics. Social media is not an island. It's a high-power engine on the larger marketing ship.
Social Media is about sociology and psychology more than technology
The only way to put out a social-media fire is with social-media water.
Social Networking that matters is helping people archive their goals. Doing it reliably and repeatability so that over time people have an interest in helping you achieve your goals.