If you’re waiting for the social media craze to fizzle out instead of joining the trend, you may want to rethink your stance. Not only is social media marketing undoubtedly here to stay, it also is proving to be a powerful tool for both B2B and B2C marketers.

A study by BzzAgent found that “55 percent of a company’s fans remain staunch advocates for the brand after a year of following or Liking it, and even more said they’d buy with the company.”

Having a social media presence is fast becoming a fundamental piece of a company’s effective communications plan. But as with any marketing medium, there are some essentials to consider as you journey out into the new and undulating social media landscape.

• Have quality content: Don’t just have a blog, Facebook page or Twitter account for the sake of saying you use social media. Use these influential platforms to share rich, engaging content about your industry, your company and your products or services.
• Be flexible and adapt over time: Social media platforms are dynamic, constantly evolving and changing to better meet the wants and needs of their users. Social media campaigns, therefore, must have the flexibility to change and grow along with the technologies that support them.
• Be patient: Quality social media campaigns take time to secure their roots and grow into successful marketing programs. You must be committed to the idea and the process of social media, must diligently execute your strategy, and regularly network with your audience. Results will come in time.

Direct response marketing firm Dukky explains on its blog: “In social media, it’s as much about listening as it is about getting your message out there. Social media can get you in the room with the right people. It just happens to be a virtual room. If you can outline and define a social media strategy and refrain from merely broadcasting, you’ll see that much sought after ROI start rolling in.”