HIO: The Importance of Audience in Social Media

The recent emergence of social media has revolutionized the way we communicate with others. Sites like Facebook and Twitter allow individuals the opportunity to present themselves to the general population in their own unique way.

Furthermore, social media sites optimize user customization. The content, appearance (for the most part), and overall feel of individual profiles are chosen by the individual. While this allows for freedom and one's personality to shine through the computer screen, knowing your audience is key.

Audience can be broken apart into two primary elements: personal and professional. The biggest mistake with social media is not selecting an audience to hit. If you post about that awesome party last night (personal) and then reach out to a former colleague about an internship opportunity (professional), you have not established a formal audience.

With a Facebook profile and a Twitter account, I utilize both to reach different audiences. To me, Facebook is a highly personal network of friends and constituents. It is not an optimal professional medium. Sure, I am connected with former colleagues who I know personally, but it's primary purpose is for personal use.

Twitter on the other hand is very much a professional networking tool. It is an excellent platform to build a base of general constituents on a professional level. That said, you can still be personable when using a social media site for professional reasons. Do not simply post content of interesting articles, you have to also interact with others. Be personable, ask others about their thoughts in a news story. However, do not be personal, and share the picture of your drunk self crawled up in a ball.

Point being, choose an audience and stick with it. The biggest mistake in social media is combining all of your audiences into one. That is both unprofessional and a little clumsy.

Take some time to reflect upon your target audience and constituency. Have you selected an audience? How can you improve your social media accounts to achieve your personal and professional goals?

At the end of the day, knowing your audience will allow you to better achieve your social media goals and objectives.

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Kevin Giordano is a sophomore Sport Management major at Drexel University, with industry experience working in men's and women's professional soccer and collegiate athletics. To contact or connect with Kevin, you can follow him on Twitter (@KevinGiordano) or connect with him here on LinkedIn.