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In 2010 I stepped forth with a lot of energy to utilize social media as an economical method to draw in public attention for a project that supported several charities. To do this, I created a social media campaign and kept track of how many discussions were happening at one time, what was being discussed and what the common reaction was to new headlines. As discussions took on a life of their own, I knew it was working.

Here are a few example headlines of those social media conversations:

Twitter

1. Why America supports our troops (link to article) #military #sot
2. Five fail-proof fundraisers for every #military support charity (link to article) #sot
3. Do you think it’s more important to send care packages to deployed troops or support #military families? #sot

Facebook

1. What five items would you send in a care package for a military member currently serving in Afghanistan?
2. Some people say they support our troops because it’s the right thing to do. Why do you support our troops?
3. If I gave you $1,000 to donate to various military support charities, which charities would you donate to and how much would you donate? The charities can be in support of military members, military veterans or military families.

Similar to the military support charity social media campaign, I developed another campaign for a local small business. This time, I only provided examples for the owner to use when using social media to promote her business. Those examples are below.

Twitter

1. Capture a truly perfect memory by not “posing” your subjects. #photography
2. What’s the best camera to take to Disney World? (link to article) #photography
3. If you want a good but inexpensive camera, check out this article: (link to article) #photography

Facebook

1. I’ve reviewed some of the most popular digital cameras, hoping to make it easier for you to decide which to buy. (link to reviews)
2. Congratulations to (name) for taking first place at the Marshfield Fair yesterday with this photo! (photo)
3. Don’t miss this exclusive discount for my fans on facebook. Save $100 on any package valued at $300 or more. Book today because the calendar will fill up quick! (link to landing page)

Each of these campaigns followed a simple trust-building pattern that provided very useful information for the reader. Over the tested course of several months, the campaigns worked without the slightest hint of failure.