Is now the time to stop relying on Facebook and Twitter as your main social promotional media?

Sounds crazy, but the research firm Forrester is making the case that you may be wasting your promotional money. (It especially sounds apt, considering that Facebook is killing its promotional value right now.)

In its latest report, “Social Relationship Strategies That Work,” the firm emphasizes that the road to success may be paved with focused private communities, rather than giant social networks—something that should perk up the ears of many in the association space. The firm notes that engagement is almost three times that of traditional social networks.

“Most companies still don’t offer branded communities—but smart marketers are already finding success building social relationship tools into their own sites,” Forrester’s Nate Elliott writes.

Forrester suggests something else that should raise more than a few eyebrows: You should stop using Facebook for your marketing because the company is biased against you. Those are fightin’ words.

Top Infographics Picks from An ASAE Expert

Ana Maria Rivera-Pramuk knows a thing or two about great graphics. As senior manager of graphic design and production in ASAE’s editorial department—a role that includes design work for Associations Now—she does a lot of research on effective visual approaches. She shared a few of her favorites with CQ Roll Call, which turned the result into a snazzy SlideShare. See the results above.

Other good reads

Don’t be afraid to add millennials to your board of directors. Nonprofit blogger Colleen Dilenschneider says that leaving them off the board threatens your organization’s long-term relevance.

Trying to best harness social media for your events? Check out this new e-book from the Event Manager Blog.

How are your association’s internal search capabilities looking these days? If you answered “not very good,” you’re far from alone, according to new research from the Association for Information and Image Management.

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