• by Gavin O'Malley , Staff Writer @mp_gavin, April 10, 2012

Regarding social, the end goal for any brand should be to create "advocates," according to Susan Thomson, Head of Media, Social Media and CRM, Chrysler Group LLC. It might seem like an obvious objective, but it's clear that too few marketers know what they're doing -- or what they're after -- in social media. To attract advocates, meanwhile, Thomson says every platform -- from Facebook to Twitter to YouTube -- demands a unique approach. Also, as many brands have learned the hard way, Thomson warns: "If you're going to enter in, you better be ready to hear what they're going to say about you."

How else does Chrysler earn advocates? Not by offering cash to consumers for bringing their friends to local car dealerships, says Thomson. Rather, the carmaker runs contests, she said. It ask people to post great pictures of their Jeep for a chance to win tickets to the Winter X Games, for example. Whatever you do, keep building your relationship with consumers deeper and deeper, Thomson adds. Make them feel like “part of a family.” Build a social hub “where [people] feel like part of the family.”