• Many are still afraid to dabble in the most basic format of social media as it could be viewed as a waste of time and a shameless channel for self-promotion.
• Many do not have a clue on the creative uses and applications of these channels to build their personal brand or their organizational brand. Creating a Facebook or Twitter account is not enough.
• Many simply do not care to understand and prefer to hide under a rock while “attacking” those who are “socially enlightened”.
• Many see social media as white noise instead of an opportunity to learn and engage.
• Many are afraid of going public. Transparency is not an easy pill to swallow.
• Many make privacy an excuse.

For the first time in my years of learning and sharing about the digital space professionally and as an digital media entrepreneur, I received “hate mail.”

As humans we respond to confrontation or negative information in varied behavioral patterns.  I chose to reflect rather than react. Why? There was no point in glorifying my “attacker’s” limited perspective and understanding on the powers of engagement. Unfortunately to many, engagement is equivalent to conversation. This is an incorrect notion.

Barriers To Entry

What challenges are brands facing in today’s social web?

• Fear. Many brands continue to fear true engagement as it leaves zero barriers for criticism and attacks. Setting up a Facebook or Twitter account and displaying this information in your store-front is not equivalent to true engagement.

• Champion. True engagement within an organizational brand thrives when there is someone leading the project idea and program.

• Proof of Burden. Lack of internal data and specific market data showcasing that true engagement works and directly translates to revenue.

I could list more, in my opinion these are the top of mind barriers and reasons why brands are hesitant to embrace true engagement.

Characteristics of True Engagement

• Ecosystem. From the moment a user steps into your web destination a connection is sparked up to the point he or she checks out of your site and returns. A great example of an engaged ecosystem is Toms.
• Market Appeal. Your audience flocks around your brand like a moth to a flame for a variety of reasons and influences. Market appeal can be created by attaching your brand to a cause. A great example is One Day Without Shoes.
• Transparency. Be open and honest about what your brand can do and cannot do at the moment.The more fluff in your message, the more traction you’ll lose in convincing your audience to engage with your brand.

Lastly, here’s a book from Brian Solis that could help lead your brand to the next level of  Engagement.

Article first published as Understanding True Engagement on Technorati.

Web 2.0 Expo IS one of my favorite tech conferences! Here’s why:

Relevant

Learn how industry leaders are maximizing the power of Web 2.0 technology in a slow economy

Gain confidence to navigate the social media landscape

Use The Power of Less, our Web 2.0 Expo theme this year

Phenomenal Speakers

On the line up are Nancy Duarte, CEO Duarte Design, Charlene Li, blogger and speaker Altimeter, Will Wright, Electronic Arts; Vic Gundotra, Google and more!

Engage

Web 2.0 Expo is community centric (that is why I ). There will be many opportunities for you to converse and share in the main conference, workshops and more informal spaces including Web 2Open were attendees lead the discussion, BoFs were organizations and individuals with a common topic of interest can gather, converse and connect and lastly LaunchPad is an opportunity for five companies to enjoy five-minutes of fame after passing a strict VC selection process.

Web 2.0 Love Code

The folks at Web 2.0 always offer a special love code websf09trt2 which gives you $100 off any conference pass package or you can use it to register for a FREE expo pass. Here’s what you’ll get for a FREE expo pass.

Your conference budget and time spent IS worth every penny and second invested when you attend a Web 2.0 Expo. Join me there and REGISTER!

I’ll be sharing more Web 2.0 Expo San Francisco love (two conference passes!) in the next few days so make sure to follow @mavindigital and @w2e on Twitter and come back soon!