Be Smarter Than a 5th Grader in Social Media

Social media is a tactical part of a larger comprehensive marketing and communications strategy. When starting out in social media, it is important to set S.M.A.R.T.E.R. goals. S.M.A.R.T.E.R. stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Results-Oriented, Timed, Evaluate and Reassess.

When I joined LinkedIn in 2005, I didn’t just dive right in without a plan and start wasting time by randomly building my network. I set S.M.A.R.T.E.R. objectives. One of my daily goals was to connect with at least 10 ideal candidates or clients in 5 specific industries within the Atlanta area.

As my focus at work changed, I realigned my LinkedIn activities. Now I’m in the top five of most connected on LinkedIn in the metro Atlanta area with over 17,000 first-level connections. I’m able to reach millions of decision makers worldwide.

If you do not become S.M.A.R.T.E.R. about your social media activity, it will lead to considerable resources losses, including your time. Most of the professionals that I work with do not have this luxury. Start setting S.M.A.R.T.E.R. goals so that you will have better results in any social media network.