When you see an story on TV/Web/Social Media, and they say, “Tell us what you think on OUR <insert social media here>”, what are they asking you to do? They want you to bump their presence so they in turn can expend their social reach. The problem is most companies are doing it wrong.

What they don’t do … is assign someone to follow up on posts, tweets etc and really you leaving a comment is a veiled hope that someone you don’t know is going to respond.

What they should really do. It’s plain and simple and something every “news” person/company/station etc knows. That is engage with their audience. When you get behind a mic, or the camera your told to think of the people your talking to. See the person on the other side and talk to them. Bring that person into the story and engage.

Sounds like a winner right? That formula has not changed but many and I mean many outlets for content don’t follow the golden rule when it comes to Social Media.

So what can you do as a Social Media expert? Simply make the people posting, tweeting, and pushing your content around the web feel like they are special. Comment on the comments, thank people for tweeting, and at times start your own conversation with in-depth details you could not bring up in the article, or news story. And last but not least get those who are in charge to see that Social Media is not a one way street. The reason it’s called Social Media is for you the creator to be Social.