Online communications media - getting involved

Email newsletters

Many underestimate the value of an email newsletter. Newsletters offer frequent communication with people who wish to hear from you, thereby building relationships and ideally a brand community. There are important things to consider here, though; never send unsolicited mail and always offer useful information. Read these tips for great email newsletters for an idea of what's required.

Blogging

A company blog offers a central and immediate publishing tool, as well as a channel through which readers can comment and provide feedback. It's also a great way to engage with other bloggers in your (global online) community, extend your network and contribute to your search engine optimisation (SEO) efforts.

That said, a blog needs love, care and attention and requires real community involvement. Replying to every comment and publishing quality posts regularly is essential. I recommend some research into how to create the perfect company blog.

Twitter

You've no doubt heard of this one by now. In 140 characters you can share thoughts, content and importantly interact instantly with people who are interested in following you. Brands are using this medium in a number of ways - from offering hotel support to simply feeding back on company progress to the public.

Social networks

Using a social network to communicate as a company is a nuanced exercise with many options - more than can be described in this article.

Facebook advertising, fan pages and groups are worth exploring. On LinkedIn, which is a network focused on business relationships, you can further explore the options in instantly networked communications. Via a platform like Ning, you can even create your own social network - making it possible for users to congregate around your brand. The options are varied and worth exploring. You can read up on a comparison between Facebook fan and group pages and learn about how to market your company on LinkedIn.

Crowdsourcing

One of the newer forms of interacting with the public is crowdsourcing. It provides a channel through which countless people can respond to any brand or business query you may put forward. Often only the winning or best solutions need be paid for.

Businesses have used crowdsourcing as a way to source design work and ideas, the former being frowned upon and the latter having proven to provide great insight and value. More information on how to use your business for crowdsourcing can be found in this article, Digital: Harnessing the Wisdom of Crowds.

Video

Not only is it 'cutting edge' but it lets people immediately see who you are and what you have to say. Bear in mind that loading times could make your message inaccessible in areas with very little bandwidth. For more information, read video marketing: tips and benefits.

That said, you don't need to get involved in all these places.

The point is not to be everywhere (although at least registering your brand name before someone else does is a good idea), but to be involved. Knowing what is possible can help you shape and reconsider your corporate communication policy.

Understanding how your brand and its supporters and detractors fit into these spaces can help you extend your network. The tools are there; there's no reason not to use them.