There are a number of ways in which brands can benefit from the social media experience. From market research to the announcement and promotion of special offers and events, opportunities to leverage this technology abound both locally and globally.

But for all of the hype and interest in social media, there are still plenty of folks who think it's just a whole lot of talk about nothing.

While most business users of social media will tell you that their goals are to increase sales, market share, and brand awareness, a June 2010 study from MediaPost and Digital Brand Expressions cited that 41% of businesses that enter the fray of social media engagement do so with no semblance of a social media strategy. It's a safe bet that many of them are still operating with the "it's not you, it's me" mentality.

You may as well hire George Costanza to be your social media guru.

Your first order of business is to give the audience what it wants - and without over-simplifying things, it comes down to three major points:

• Give them great stuff (whether you offer a product or a service)
• Give them great service
• Provide them with an experience

Who's the Fairest One of All? Here's a Hint - It Ain't You

You may love the look of your website, your social media pages, and your marketing materials. But what you think doesn't really matter.

Your audience wants the answer to the question, "what's in it for me?" Your materials have to convey this message clearly - and if they can't, they are about as useful to you as a discount store toupee. You aren't really going to fool anyone.

Acknowledge who the "fairest" really is - your customers. Marketers that are savvy enough to stop gazing at themselves in the mirror in favor of paying attention to their target market will be able to establish rapport and begin to build trust. Trust is the foundation upon which successful businesses are built.

From Soup to Nuts, Service Matters

Even if you have a great product, you won't succeed if your service stinks. Consumers have always had options, but the Internet has multiplied those options exponentially. Imagine the damage that Elaine could have wreaked on the Soup Nazi if only she'd had FourSquare, Yelp and Gowalla at her disposal. And don't even get me started about "leaking" recipes on sites like Scribd.com...

Give 'Em Something to Remember

Content creation is central to any successful social media campaign. Once the initial profiles and pages have been set up, the never-ending content creation process begins. With the goal of building a consumer-centric community in mind, successful brands will often endeavor to create exclusive or "freemium" content that is not available elsewhere. This content can take the shape of informative tutorial videos, recipes, contest promotions, access to exclusive virtual events, printable tip-sheets, bonus music downloads, or discount offers.

The key is to create content, features and experiences that attract prospects, nurtures and rewards them - and turns them into enthusiastic brand evangelists. The businesses that routinely seek to create a better user experience, provide additional value, and seek out consumer feedback are the ones who will win the day.

Social media is here to stay, and those who learn how to effectively leverage it will reap the benefits. Savvy users that consistently deliver on the three key points will soon discover that a happy, engaged consumer is a loyal consumer - and communities that put the customer first never run out of things to talk about.