Although I am a fan of Twitter, I am not biased.  I understand the Twitter is not the best choice for all companies, so it is important to understand that there are alternatives.

If you are part of a company that has determined that your constituents simply are not interested in social media, and may not be online at all, that is completely fine.  However, be sure to engage with them in other ways.  Just because social media is not being used, does not mean that these stakeholders do not want to be having conversations.  Personally, I feel that nothing is better than face to face communication.  Finally, do not be afraid to re-evaluate in a year or so.  As the Web evolves, so will its users, so your constituents may be interested in social media in the future.

If you and your company want to use social media, but have determined that microblogging is not the best channel, there are many other options.  Before you determine which tools to use, you must answer two questions:

• Who are your trying to communicate with?
• What messages are you trying to communicate?

Once you have determined the answers to these questions, you can figure out which social media tools can help you communicate with your constituents.  There are a plethora of social media tools available today, with new ones emerging almost daily.  For most companies, I would suggest wikis, blogs and podcasts.

Wikis: Wikis are a beneficial tool because information can be easily shared and collaboration is encouraged.  A 2008 Mashable article suggests wiki’s because they allow for participation.  The content on wikis can be edited and updated by users or professionals.  This video by Common Craft explains how wikis can be used.

Podcasts: Podcasts and vodcast (video podcasts) are also wonderful options for social media tools.  They allow for creativity and for the messages to be shared in a new and interesting way.  This Common Craft video outlines the benefits of podcasting.

Blogs: Blogs are best for updates and dialogue.  Companies can write the “news” and their stakeholders can read it, or even comment and participate. Common Craft explains why blogs work today.

Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube are also sites worth looking into if your company wants to share information within a social networking community.

Before ultimately deciding on a social media tool, it is necessary to weight the pros and cons. For example, podcasts do not allow for feedback as well as blogs do. Finally, you must remember that each means of social media should be used tactfully and must communicate messages that are consistent with the company’s communication and business strategies.