Results from the Angerosa Research Foundation

Many association executives we talk to are interested in social media and how other associations are taking advantage of social media tools. A report recently released by the Angerosa Research Foundation provides some data and benchmarking for this in their study "How Associations are Tapping Social Media." The report covers a range of related information including overall trends, wikis, blogs and strategic issues.

Probably of the most interest to many executives are what benefits associations are reaping from these social media efforts. The report is definitely worth reading, but in the meantime, here are the top seven benefits from the report for those associations who are using social media tools:

The social media services company Vitrue recently released their list of the most social brands of 2008. Social brands were defined as those with the most mentions in social networking, blogging and microblogging sites. They used a "social media index" to track these mentions but did not differentiate between positive and negative conversations. The purpose of the index is to capture a brand's share of voice on the web. The top 10 brands/branded products were the iPhone, CNN, Apple, Disney, Xbox, Starbucks, iPod, MTV, Sony and Dell. View the full list here.

There are three lessons associations can take from these big brands/products to help generate more mentions in social media venues for their groups:

But one look at it can make anyone (and by anyone, I'm thinking of some teenage boys I know) start thinking more about what I eat.

Lesson: Using conversational media is not all talk.

(Sidenote: The site is being run on Tumblr.com, the same platform used for PassionCreatesCommunity.com, some similar -- but much less graphic -- story telling.)

[Cross-posted in RexBlog.com.]