1. Thinking you are in control – social media is about the conversation with your supporters and dissenters. If you just delete all the negative comments your community will just take their conversation elsewhere…where you have no control at all. Create a standard of how far you will people go and share that with your community.

2. Not making enough time to maintain your communities –this new world of web 2.0 is free but it is an investment of time. Make sure you have the time allotted to maintain your communities and respond to your followers. Most organizations are dedicating 10 – 15 hours a week to social media and some are creating a specific position to manage this work. This could be done by engaging students at a local college and monitoring their work.

3. Feeling overwhelmed by this brave, new world – make sure you are using the right tool for your community. Talk to board members, donors and customers about how they are already using social media and create a space for you organization on that platform. This is a strategy of joining in, not reinventing the wheel.

4. Not getting involved – social media is here to stay. Social media is mostly a free communications function that you get to determine how you play. Granted some platforms may come and go but this way of connecting the world is part of a whole generation’s way of life. Take it slow and be strategic.

5. Try to be corporate or cool – be honest in your approach to social media, but in a casual way. Do not try to be an authoritarian and do not try to be the coolest kid on the block. Be honest and available to you community and they will make you popular.