New social media platforms  emerge every day, so how do you know which ones are right for you? Or if you should use social media at all?

Well, ask yourself a few questions:

1. How much time do I have to update the platforms and build the community?
2. How large is the audience I want to reach?
3. How often will I have content to update the platforms with?

Depending upon your answers, you may want to focus on one or all of the three of the largest platforms: Facebook, Twitter, and Foursquare.  (These do not include social media platforms such as YouTube and Vimeo, which specialize in video sharing, or photo-sharing sites, like Flickr.)

Facebook began as a place where users connected on a personal level with friends and colleagues, where they joined online groups and advocated for issues important to them.  But now we also see businesses, organizations, and political groups using Facebook to directly engage their customers, members, and constituents. Today, more and more people use Facebook for both personal and business purposes.    Bottom line: If you want to build a community and engage its members, this may be a good place to start.

Twitter is different –  more of a two-way conversation between you and online followers.  And that conversation is limited to 140 characters, the max for Twitter posts and updates.  Twitter’s pithy online exchanges have transformed the platform into a hotspot for breaking news stories;  people now check Twitter streams – not traditional media or blogs – for hot topics and breaking news.  While Twitter doesn’t offer a community function like Facebook does, it is a successful conversation platform.  By re-Tweeting another user’s post or sending direct messages, you engage with people in a way that can support both your personal and professional life.  People use Twitter to hunt for jobs, recipes, even research questions.  They also Tweet to promote their website, blog post, or upcoming events.

Foursquare differs from both Twitter and Facebook in that it is a location-based platform.   With Foursquare, you can explore different locations such as business, restaurants, and farmer’s markets, tell your friends where you go, and get hints and tips about the location from previous visitors. “Checking in” at different locations can earn you “badges”, these are online icons that are added to your profile.  For instance, you can become the “mayor” of a location if you check in more than any other user; for some locations, the mayor changes daily – even hourly.  Many businesses now use Foursquare to identify their most loyal customers and reward them with prizes and discounts.

Two things to remember about social media: disclosure and time allotment.  Always be truthful and disclose who you are and who you represent.  People like to know who they are talking to. If you offer information on a product or group, or if you are promoting a website, disclose whom you are working on behalf of.  Online peers are more likely to use you as a resource and visit your website if you are forthcoming.

As for time allotment, don’t overextend yourself.  Better to only have a Facebook page that you can update often (and fully) than both Facebook and Twitter accounts that you can’t tend to on a regular basis.

For more information on these platforms you may wish to visit their websites or some of the hundreds of blog resources that are out there.