It’s about listening. Listening to your customers is about making your brand trustworthy. Brands shouldn’t worry about whether they’re up on Facebook or Twitter; they should worry about whether they have a story and can build a community. That community can be built on their own website. They just have to be engaging enough.

—-

In regard to criticism, transparency — that’s the key. If you’re in a relationship with a significant other, it’s the same thing. It’s about communication, and sometimes, there are things you ignore and let blow over. You don’t do this whole crisis management thing and try to spin the story. No more spinning. Be honest and truthful, that’s what people expect now.

—-

I’m amazed at how many “social media experts” I meet. What makes someone an expert or consultant in this area? Some people are basing their expertise on how many followers they have.

—-

There is no “expert” yet because we are still figuring it all out. It’s the quality of followers versus the quantity. I’ve seen people with hundreds of thousands of followers, and they tweet something that falls on deaf ears. Someone who has fewer followers but a selective and focused community who is interested in the same interests would be more influential.

—-

A consultant also has to have business experience and understand traditional marketing because there should still be an overall marketing strategy. Social media is just one part of it and does not replace it completely. Stats say traditional television still works. Do banner ads still work? No. Does everyone need to develop a community? Not necessarily. An expert is not that kid who comes out of college. It could be a traditional marketer who is learning some of these new tricks. It can be people with anthropology, journalism, or even scientific backgrounds.

Sixty percent of online teens say that when they find a brand they like, they’ll stick to it, a figure that’s just about the same as for online adults. However, nearly two-thirds of teens are willing to try something new. And three times more teens than adults say they’re influenced by what’s hot.

—-

Two-thirds of online teens surveyed said they tell friends about products — that’s almost twice as many as adults — and more than 70% of teens use social networks regularly. So it’s critical for marketers to understand how to best use social networks to reach teens and to help them spread the word. Tapping into entertainment users, who are also cross-category influencers, is key.