Basically if you haven’t been living under a rock for the last decade, you’ve been able to watch the slow progression of the social democracy of media. As access to the Internet continues to grow, the world has seen profound change. It’s easy to see the revolutionary advances in online technology mainly through Social Media and Web 2.0 programs. As a result the general public, or more importantly for businesses consumers have been given unheard of freedom in distribution of information and human interaction through a variety of mediums. The last ten years have been about the redistribution of influence and authority. Some of the most noted traditional media sources can no longer compete with the influence and power of many bloggers.

Social media has turned the average consumer into an authority, brand ambassador, and critic. This trend has many traditional businesses fearful and unwilling to interact with consumers. Others are rushing to create accounts on Twitter and Facebook but don’t know what to do with them.

3 important tips to get involved with online audiences:

1. Be a trendsetter or a tastemaker

Now that social media has changed the authority of media from a top down approach to an equal playing field businesses need to start earning their brand authority online. If your company has all the credibility of a big name brand, that doesn’t mean an online community will respect or acknowledge that. In order to be successful companies need to work towards providing value to their consumers through beneficial content for their consumers. Great examples include Dell Outlet which promotes new products and deals and Southwest Airlines which features last minute deals on flights.

2. Listen to your audience

In order to be truly effective online businesses need to start learning and being open to more proactive communication through Social Media channels. Just because someone writes a negative review of your business on a website like Yelp.com doesn’t mean you can afford to not acknowledge or deal with an issue. Think of Social Media as a chance to deal with issues your company may be facing and an opportunity to grow your business to it’s potential.

3. Be attentive and committed

You can’t expect to build an online community overnight and the long term investment in effective Social Media management often leaves many companies unwilling to use the medium. What companies need to realize is that while it’s easy to write off Social Media, the Internet has provided them with an opportunity for free Public Relations, Promotion, and Market Research. Try asking your Twitter or Facebook followers for advice or commentary and you’ll see just how effective Social Media can be.

With more and more tools being created to measure marketing metrics it’s becoming easier for businesses to dive into the world of Social Media. While the use of Social Media may not be apparent for all industries it can be used to build awareness of any brand. When creating an online voice ask yourself what you can provide and not what you want from your consumers. These tips should help guide you in the right direction.

Here are 3 twitter tools to get you started:

Twitpic: Share photos online through your Twitter account. Try adding pictures of new products or report from any conventions or seminars you may be attending.

Twitter Grader: Measure the reach of your followers online. This tool judges users based on the number of updates posted, number of followers, and other variables to create a profile of a Twitter account’s power.

Tweet Later: Create timed Twitter posts in advance or send direct messages to followers automatically with this powerful tool.