You know - it's all the rage...everyone is talking about social media. Everyone is getting caught up in social media - and I don't blame them because social media is bringing the world closer together. I can't tell you how many people have told me stories about how a long lost friend or school mate found them on Facebook or LinkedIn and now they are resurrecting their relationship. That's all good!

But what about social media for your business? That's where the excitement starts to fray at the edges. I read a recent article about what is and what isn't working in social media. Seems that much of how businesses are using social media isn't working for the users. For example Twitter - many businesses are using Twitter to generate traffic to their websites. However, the survey indicated that the most effective use of Twitter was monitoring PR problems and contacting users who posted negative comments about the company.

Likewise using Facebook, most of the effort is around using the platform to drive traffic to a website. However, the survey found the most effective Facebook tactic was creating a survey for the "fans". Anyone who has done a survey on Facebook knows how valuable it can be to obtain good information about their targeted demographics.

So, in summary - while most out there are working hard to drive traffic via Facebook, Twitter, etc., a more creative use of the platforms will get you better results. Brand monitoring, communicating with individual customers, surveying and offering really rich content are the keys to success in the world of social media.