Not too long ago, I was talking with a few nonprofit executives about communications issues they face. A huge issue, not surprisingly, is time and resources to undertake communications programs. Another is using social media strategically and effectively.
One senior executive told me," I'm not tweeting and I'd really like to not feel guilty about it."
And once again this was a reminder, that just because a tool exists doesn't mean you have to use it or even that it is the right tool for your organization.
Twitter, Facebook and other social media tools are means to create engagement and conversations.
Justing having a Twitter account is meaningless, unless you are using it and actively conversing. It doesn't mean tweeting 20 times a day or even every day. But by the same token, it's hard to have a conversation and engage, if you aren't talking at all.
Many companies and nonprofits are feeling overwhelmed by social media and beating themselves up for not using it.
Remember the cardinal rule of communications: Know the audience and reach out to them where they are.
If enterprises don't have the resources (time and energy) to engage on social media, or are unwilling to fully embrace social media, it is better to use other means to communicate until you do. And for goodness sake, stop feeling guilty about it, and think positively about the ways you are engaging your stakeholders.