When Social Media Canada first opened it’s doors in 2010 there were no companies standing in line to sign up for a social media strategy. In fact, most Vancouver, BC companies had very little understanding of social media as a means to promote their brand and build their business.

We set out to inform people that the 500 million users on Facebook could not only be leveraged to improve the bottom line but that there is a unique marketing method required to properly engage in social media and that ignoring it will lead to failure.

Over the last 18 months we’ve had many clients. We’ve had real estate agents, health care clinics, retail stores and online retail operations and most arrived knowing a lot about traditional marketing and little about social media marketing.

Slowly the trend toward authenticity and social responsibility is growing among companies who do business online. Those organizations who are finding success (defined in which ever way you would like to define it) have quickly learned that building relationships based on trust and a true desire to provide visitors to the site with value, is the cornerstone to a good online presence.

Throughout this website you’ll find many articles on the necessity to engage the C-level execs in any online campaign. The best way to convince them they need to be involved is to explain that if they are not able to adequately champion their own company, who else can? Only a CEO who hates what he does is incapable to saying why he does it.

This is going to be a short post. Social Media Canada has moved to a new level in the social media strategic planning game and, as such, we’re not able to publish as much great content.

That said, you won’t find any re-printed articles on this site (unless they’re really relevant) We have always written our own content and will continue to do so, as time permits.

For now, there are a ton of articles on how to be authentic here. How to engage an experienced social media expert to help you come up with a strategy for success here. How to redefine ROI (return on investment) for the Web 2.0 generation here. And a lot of other useful, current articles on how you can use a well-thought-out social media campaign to provide value and garner business.

Keep an eye out here and on our relationships page for  some cool case studies and success stories.

Oh, and don’t forget Social Media Week comes to Vancouver September 19-23!