I had some good conversations with a couple communications and marketing people last week as I continue networking.  One of the recurring topics that came up was how to use social media effectively.  It’s hard to pinpoint exactly why certain companies are more successful using social media.  However, based on my personal use of Twitter, Facebook et al., I’ve noticed that successful organizations create an “insider mentality” through their online presence.

Simply put, the most effective use of social media is to make people feel like they’re part of the team.  Everyone wants to feel like they’re a part of something bigger; they want to be a part of a community.  And by bringing in people to the fold of an organization, it’s possible to foster that sense of community.

Now what does it mean to make people feel like they’re insiders?  Well, it takes a certain level of honesty.  It might mean that CEOs run a personal blog where they admit both their triumphs and mistakes.  Organizations also need to communicate directly with their clients and consumers.  Too many times when people try to talk with someone at a company, they get lost in a maze of bureaucracy.  Instead, a tool like Twitter can be used to create person-to-person communication.  There also needs to be avenues for open and public feedback.  Listening to what people like or dislike about what you’re doing offers room for improvement.

This sort of vulnerability is a bit frightening at first.  However, it’s foolishness to hope to control what people are saying about you in a connected world.  Instead, by creating insiders that feel like they’re a part of a community, you’ll receive more and better suggestions for improvement.  Not only this, but when you’re doing things right, these insiders will promote your identity and brand as if they were a company employee.

There’s still a lot of room for growth and change within social media.  No one set of static rules will define successful marketing methods in social media.  But marketing from an insider mentality will definitely get you headed in the right direction.