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There is a comprehensive list of things that rarely influence the return on investment and ultimate success of a social media campaign. This list of irrelevance includes: Twitter, Reddit, Digg, Mixx, Flickr, Wordpress, Typepad, Blogger, Posterous, YouTube, LinkedIn, and…yes…even Facebook.

It’s not that these Web 2.0 offerings fail to deliver impact. In fact, they are critical when it comes to the execution of a digital program. However, they are merely tools which create a channel to connect with and engage key audiences. Success in social media is defined by strategy, believability and integration.

Let’s start with strategy. Like all other communications initiatives, corporate social media activities must begin with a discussion of and agreement on a set of measurable outcomes. These benchmarks should be aligned with the organization’s overall goals, especially when it comes to sales, profitability and valuation.

Makes sense, right? Social media is meaningful when you can point to how it drives the business forward in a measurable way.

Equally important is believability. A long-standing tenet of effective public relations is that perception is reality. However, image creation has to be based on the tangible beliefs and attributes of an organization and its employees.

Take Strategic Communications Group’s (Strategic) work for British Telecom (BT) and its corporate social responsibility (CSR) program (http://www.csrperspective.com). BT leverages its commitment to sustainable business practices to solidify relationships with key stakeholders.

Yes…this is part of their customer engagement efforts. However, the company’s passion for CSR is genuine, resulting in a social media-driven dialogue that truly connects with audiences.

And finally, there is the issue of integration. Ideally, a commitment to social networking and digital communications should take hold among multiple groups within an organization allowing for the seamless sharing of resources. This seldom happens though.

Our experience teaches that pockets of innovation (http://strategicguy.blogspot.com/2009/04/three-phases-of-social-media-maturation.html) rise up with defined champions eager to put social media to work to the benefit of their specific objectives. We cherish these champions, yet make it a point to work with them to build internal awareness and support prior to the launch of a campaign.

In particular, solidifying a connection with the sales team is essential as they provide an avenue to reach customers and prospects, as well as channeling back ongoing feedback on the relevance and impact of our efforts.

So, the next time a colleague (or your boss) asks about the company’s use of Twitter or your activities in the blogosphere, challenge them to think about social media from the perspective of the three musts – strategy, believability and integration.

Marc Hausman is president/CEO of Strategic Communications Group, a public relations consultancy based in Silver Spring, Maryland. Read more at http://www.strategicguy.blogspot.com.