Facebook, Twitter, Blogs, Wikis – social media is ubiquitous right now. But because of its rapid evolution, many homecare executives are trying to determine whether social media is a passing fad or if it can actually influence their business in a meaningful way.

The fact is social media is reshaping how individuals search for information and value brands.

While you may not need a complete social media makeover, there are several social media elements that are easy to implement and can greatly benefit your company.

1. Create a blog to help establish your agency's vision and become a thought leader in the home care industry. Blogs don't have to be as detailed as a State of the Union Address; they can be just a few paragraphs. Many CEOs use blogs as a tool to communicate with their clients, their employees, and sometimes, the media. George F. Colony (the CEO of Forrester, a leading market research company), Dallas Mavericks and HDNet owner Mark Cuban, Bill Marriott (of the Marriott hotel chain), and Jonathan Schwartz of Sun Microsystems are all considered among the best bloggers among CEOs.
   
   Those blogs all share common traits. They are typically updated often, include insight into the company, and also give a glimpse into the personality of the CEO. If that sounds intimidating or even just too time consuming, consider a ghostwriter who can quickly put together a lively snapshot of your thoughts or have other high-level employees take ownership of it. Those blogs also boost your agency's standing on search engines, because the more utility content that is produced, the higher your company will rank on Google and Yahoo.
2. Podcasts give your business an easy, yet fun way to express its abilities. There are many ways to utilize podcasts. You can conduct Q&A sessions to help caregivers cope with conditions of loved ones, and learn more about how home care is cost effective and allows patients to recover faster in the familiar surroundings of their home. Podcasts are also a great way to create testimonials from physicians and caregivers who have used your services. Effective podcasts create a positive brand for your company, as a cutting edge service provider who is knowledgeable with the latest trends.
   
   Podcasts should be kept relatively brief, with segments and any interview questions planned out in advance. Podcasts should be no more than 10 minutes in length, and transcripts should also be posted to your website to enhance search engine results.
3. Use a Facebook group page to build a community of caregivers. Facebook is more than status updates about where you are going to lunch. A Facebook group page connects all those in the care continuum, and allows you to send caregivers, as well as employees, specific e-mail updates and let them know about upcoming events.
   
   Group pages can join together hundreds, even thousands of people into your network. Those pages are created with minimal cost, but the return on investment can be huge.