"If time is money, then attention is gold"

In this weeks reading by Brian Solis, 21 Rules of Engagement in Social Media really tells you spot on on engagement. In advertising it is known that 2011 was getting more followers and 2012 is about how to manage your community many organizations rushed in obtaining. I have attending webinars by Brian Solis and he breaks it down on how an organization can build engagement with their community.

Brian focused his article on already established community but for many libraries who are entering this new realm there are some good practice tips to follow.

1. Research.... research and do more research who are your demographics that will follow you on social media. Lets refer to  Laura Peowski Horn's article on her search on understanding her local teens who come to the library. She tried to find the core group of teens that she feels she can cater but also try to be inclusive to the less inclined to read a book.  Laura did what best first step... know who are you trying to cater and understand them. In the web development world before building a site its best practice to define the personas, a imaginary scenario of the type of people who would visit the website. 

2. Build content. You know have good understanding of who your community will but now its about building content. Any blogger can tell you that generating content frequently can be draining. That is why before creating your community, create a scenario of content for x amount of time depending each organization's situation. Also note you still need to be flexible for any current events that may occur and you will need to react like early closing due to weather.

 3. Tent poles, not the circus king but keep in mind the shape they appear. One thing everyone needs to understand about you cannot be in social media world and follow a strict timeline with things. I want to show that social media is like a large river it cannot be stopped by a single person. That is why the concept of tent poles which Brian has discussed in his seminars are ways to set themes in certain time periods.  Best example for libraries are summer reading programs are themselves a tent pole. Remember how I asked earlier to remember the shape, now when you start a tent pole you do slow and small since its starting the event. Mid way into the tent pole you are at its peak and you start dying down content as users got their fill with the event and are waiting for the next. 

For best technology for libraries to start building their community really depends on your personas defined. For youth librarians I would say Facebook because that's where your demographics is at. That is why Brian has great explanation on maintaining engagement in your community but starting was a missing key in his article.