By Katherine Field

(September 1, 2009) Thinking about jumping into the social-networking scene? Here are some tips from Sue Reninger, managing partner and brand strategist for Columbus, Ohio-based advertising and public relations firm RMD, to help brands with their social-media presence:

• Suit up. By simply launching a Facebook and Twitter page, you can quickly begin to experience social media through exploration. Even if no one listens to you at first, the lessons you will learn from critically listening to conversations from others -- consumers and customers alike -- will be invaluable. Hint: If you haven’t done so already, take 15 minutes now and reserve your brand’s presence on these forums. It’s free -- and if you don’t reserve your brand’s name online first, one of your brand lovers (or foes) could easily reserve the name for their own agenda. Do it now.

• Be real. Social media isn’t about being cool or hip. Instead, it’s all about being real and transparent. If the true essence of a brand is well defined and authentic, the brand will naturally flow through your social-media conversations. And, studies show that an authentic brand is what people are trusting in -- and buying from -- today.

• Monitor conversations carefully. Keep a weekly, if not daily, watch on conversations that are ongoing about your brand. A quick search on Flickr, Twitter, Facebook, Google (and its various tools) and more will likely amaze you. Or try searching for a brand in blog tracking sites, such as Technorati. By knowing and participating in the conversations about your brand -- you are more proactive about preserving its core.

• Build a meaningful tribe. Many social-media advocates argue that building a large community is a great way to measure success. But, similar to any conversation that surrounds your brand, quality trumps quantity every time. Resources such as ChirpCity will help you to target Twitter followers according to geographic location, psychographic attributes, etc.

Does your brand target Southern food lovers or yo-yo enthusiasts? No problem. A simple search will lead you to a handful of advocates that actively “tweet.” From there, noticing who they’re having conversations with (and targeting their followers) will build a meaningful community faster than you can say “tweet up.”