• Generalise from the outset. Social media has changed everything, everywhere, for ever, and you need to get your checklist started with a bang.
• Admonish the workshy. It’s no good waiting until competitors have created four or five checklists before you get started. Those Web 1.0 attitudes won’t cut it any more. Just get started!
• Impose conflicting demands. Your checklist should support your corporate brand and tone of voice at all times. But at the same time, it should be all funny and friendly, like Bambi or something.
• Drop some jargon. If you want to create the sort of list that generates twitstops, and avoid the problems of brand teases and wiki warts, get those buzzwords in early and often. (Definitions here.)
• Set stupidly exacting targets. If one checklist boosts your rep and attracts new clients, just imagine what two or three checklists could do. Aim to write a new one every day. No, every hour!
• Neglect the practical. Don’t check how many people read your list, or whether it makes money, or whether it ultimately brings you any benefit at all. In fact, forget the whole concept of return on investment.
• Be holier than thou. Witter on sanctimoniously about ‘helping others’, ‘joining the conversation’ and ‘paying it forward’. Never admit that social media can never offer what real friends can – bitching about other friends, retelling old anecdotes and accompanying you to the pub to cover for your creeping alcoholism.
• Trash the traditional. Yep, you’re going to have to unlearn all those useless offline marketing ways… granddad.
• Post valuable content. Users really value original, carefully considered content. Not derivative rubbish you’ve posted to jump on the bandwagon. No, wait a minute…
• Don’t try to control the conversation. Because let’s face it, your utterly lame tip list is going to get some deservedly ‘mixed’ feedback. But that’s what social media is all about!

Tags: checklists, Digital and social