Looking to increase the effectiveness of your social media marketing? It’s all too easy to get bogged down in statistics and how-to’s, so we think it’s good now and then to step and look at the basics.

Focus on these three tips and you’ll find your social media becomes much more effective:

1. Go Where Your Customers Go: Develop strategies for where your customers are hanging out–for example, niche blogs, Google groups, industry forum sites. Don’t allow yourself to become lazy and only rely on Twitter and Facebook.
2. Post Valuable Content: Remember to make content the heart of your social media strategy. What stories are happening around your brand that make your company or products interesting to your prospects?
3. Remember Your Purpose: Finally, it’s crucial that you understand your role in social media. Is it to observe? To engage? To develop conversations? Or to develop relationships? Get clear on this, and your social media efforts will be much more productive.