Building a social media program is an exciting opportunity. It's an opportunity to dramatically change the way you connect with customers and other constituents - a chance to tap into conversations, learn more about how your brand is perceived, promote your product or service in new ways, and ultimately grow your business. Often the things you learn in your social media program can inform your more traditional marketing efforts as well, as you engage directly with your audience and learn more about what makes them tick.

But there's a lot of work that needs to be done before jumping into a full-scale social media program. These steps are often overlooked by companies beginning these programs, but they are key to the success of your efforts.

Properly preparing as social media strategy that includes goals and measurement will ensure you get the most out of your program.

In short, building a social media program should not be taken lightly! Social media – while trendy – is also a fully mainstream communications tool, and its power it shouldn't be ignored.

Taking a simple four-step process to prepare for the launch of a successful social media program can ensure that you're set up to interact in social media venues before you get started. This process includes:

- Identifying your goals
- Finding your audience
- Setting your key performance indicators
- Scheduling and resource management

Awareness, Inc. is proud to offer you this complimentary e-book: 4 Steps to Developing a Successful Social Media Program

Complete the form on the right-hand side of the page and you will receive an email with a link to download e-book. We encourage you to share this e-book with your social media teams or anyone else you feel would benefit.