An association blog should speak with one voice - the association's voice - and that may best be done by one author who can best communicate on behalf of the organization.

Here are some additional suggestions for organizing a blog for your association, tips on how to write appropriately, and ways of avoiding obstacles to blog viewing.

Here's an assertion that some companies are measuring the activity, not the revenue, that is generated by social media.

So, is social media really effective at driving sales?

Seth Godin says, "no." He advises a people strategy, instead.

"Facebook's penetration among socially networked adults in the U.S. is 90%, and the site enjoys the same penetration among socially networked women age 18-34 (92%) and age 35+ (92%) (and among men, too), according to a survey by Netpop Research.

But age is a greater determinant of use for other social media sites.

So, either young people make up a larger proportion of early adopters, and the age disparity disappears as use of that venue increases; or, Facebook simply provides a service that is equally valued by all age groups, and other venues don't.

"I just feel like people are losing their heads over this whole Pinterest/web traffic craze without stopping for one second to think about WHY Pinterest is driving traffic to certain sites (cooking, fashion, home decor)," says Maggie McGary, in a very rational view about this recently hyped tool.

There's been a growing commotion lately about the degree of privacy available on Facebook (and on Google, too). That seems odd.

Facebook was created to be public, not private.

It was meant to enable you to meet lots of people and to share information about yourself with them.

To share your friends and contacts. To share happenings in your life. To share what you are thinking about, what you are doing (and what you did last night), and what your friends are doing (and what they did last night).

Facebook is a big party and everybody is invited (including businesses that may want to sell you stuff).

If you don't like that, then maybe Facebook is not for you.

Devin Tisdale, of Ross Group, Inc., noted a rise in LinkedIn popularity among the 21-26 age crowd, in a comment he made on ASAE Collaborate. Others have made the same observation.

It should not be surprising that many young people, upon graduating from college and landing jobs, have begun to separate their professional lives from their personal lives. They know that each has a place, but that the two don't need to mix.

So, they'll use Facebook for social networking and LinkedIn for professional networking. As their careers advance, they may start developing tamer Facebook personas that are more compatible with their LinkedIn personalities.

These folks are also quick to adopt email for professional communication, while still preferring calling or texting for social activities. They'll employ whatever tool works in any given situation.

Remember that young people, like everybody else, will adapt to the changing needs of their environment. They won't retain their teenage habits forever (neither did we).

But it's a darn good tool to have in your arsenal.

Terrance Barkan, on ASAE Collaborate, and on various LinkedIn groups, wonders why association professionals are going to such great lengths to determine the effectiveness of social media before using it.

Perhaps that's because it has been hyped so much that decision-makers are hesitant to dump their other marketing vehicles and gamble on what they've been led to believe will be huge returns from social media.

Well, they shouldn't dump anything. Social media adds to the marketing mix, it doesn't replace everything in it. It provides opportunities for interaction that did not exist in the past.

For example, gobs of your members and prospects may be at a party in a place called Facebook (or another site). They've chosen to be there (you didn't tell them to be there) and they value the connections they are making there.

If you attend the party, too, you can talk with them, recruit them, and communicate in ways you think may be useful. Being there makes you more credible. You don't have to embrace the concept of the party site. You have to exploit it.

It's like mingling at a cocktail party or campaigning for votes at a crowded bus stop. You are fishing where the fishes are. And, very often, they are on social media sites.

So, add social media to your marketing strategy and get help from experts so you don't have to learn everything yourself.

Fit it into a plan that may already include direct mail, e-blasts, blogging, and other promotional activities. Keep your web site up-to-date and connect with your audiences where they are and in the way(s) they want to connect.

Take advantage of all the tools at your disposal, but don't rely on just one.

Here are the ten Chicago area companies that Crain's Chicago Business thinks are doing the best job of leveraging social media to reach customers, boost brands, and sell product. The folks at Crain's think the findings will be surprising.

A colleague complained that it had occurred on an association listserv.

He was wrong.

Some strong opinions had been expressed on the listserv, but that's what discussions and debates consist of. It was civil and nobody was personally attacked.

Everybody is not going to agree about everything - and that's OK. And everybody does not have to think every idea is a good idea - many aren't.

But you should not be intimidated by strong opinions. Those are part of the decision-making process. People express their views, advocate their ideas, disagree with others, and vote. The final decision may not be unanimous - but that's OK, too.

It's democracy, not bullying.