So everyone’s drunk the kool aid on social….they’ve heard the cries of social media strategists everywhere (ahem) that the WEB IS SOCIAL! Ok! everyone’s all fired up and inboxes are overflowing with requests for “social”…

For those wanting to “go social” a few things to consider, swallow, accept or dismiss before firing the guns (lists are oh so handy!):

1. Forget the “campaign”. It’s about having a holistic digital program that includes leveraging social technologies over the long haul. Get ready to begin socializing your brand.

2. Social media is not a silo. Social initiatives are about brand building, awareness, community building, gathering feedback and leveraging the world’s largest focus group…it should be inextricable from your brand’s strategic plan and certainly integral to digital strategy.

3. A note on social media monitoring: A) Approach it with the expectation that it is about providing strategic intelligence based on the consumer conversation. B) Use it to benchmark and track initiatives and programs. C) Actually act on consumer feedback (hey! crowdsource product development!).

4. Social amplifies you who are as a brand: the good, the bad and the ugly. Cover-ups, fakery and sneakiness are not advised. Be prepared to act transparently, admit when you’re wrong and actually listen to customer feedback.

5. If you think you can control, “herd,” push or pull “consumers” (ahem, people), you’re not ready. Have some more kool aid.

6. Can I say it again? Think strategically.

7. Ask yourself two questions: How can I be useful? Why will people care?

8. Respect the attention economy.

9. If “viral” is somewhere in your aspirations, stop reading this and read this

10. Lighten up, socializing is supposed to be fun ! (If you’re going to stress over who’s using your pictures from Flickr, then don’t post them to Flickr).

And as one last caveat: As the consumer landscape continues to change due to cheap, ubiquitous technologies that allow for instant, global publishing and communication it will continue to dramatically change the marketing game. If the above list makes you choke on your kool aid, then keep drinking.

We are still in the early stages of that change, and while some people are choosing to embrace the “tenets of social” the reality is it won’t be a choice for long. The change is charging along. People are social, the Web is our global platform, and markets are conversations (one big long sip of Cluetrain kool aid there — and MMMM it tastes good).

At the Social Media Strategies Conference you can learn about all of these points and more from the best in the business.