YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn: It wasn’t long ago that these terms didn’t exist. Today, they are essential elements of an integrated communications strategy—and if you are not engaged, you should be. The effective use of social media can significantly extend the reach, impact and endurance of any campaign.

Markets that used to be measured in thousands and millions are now scaled to billions. More than 2 billion people are now connected to the internet, and more than half of them are Facebook users. More than 5 billion people have access to mobile phones. Sixty hours of video are uploaded every minute to YouTube, and over 4 billion videos are viewed each day. This is a marketplace you simply cannot afford to ignore.

It’s the new grassroots. Social media employs the power of replication, allowing supporters to easily (and organically) promote your campaign, cause or business among thousands of contacts with the click of a mouse. It allows you to engage your stakeholders in an ongoing dialogue that’s transparent, authentic and impactful.