Social Media: What's your style?

It's no secret that the social mediasphere is "the place to be" in 2010; many of its buzzwords have been burning up the Internet for a few years now. But, as we've pointed out before, the online literati have only recently begun to really develop the kind of framework and metrics that you might expect to surround such a powerful means of personal and corporate expression. The rapid rise of social media resembled a land rush, with few participants taking a step back to build a lasting foundation. That's changing.

We've detailed some of the interesting ways to quantify social media. That's a fascinating process - field of study, even - that's still in its infancy. But before that, before we worry about tracking and placing a value on fans and friends, there's a fundamental question we ask our clients and companies: who are you?

In other words, what's your style? And that's exactly the question at the heart of an excellent post over at Mashable, which breaks social media styles down into five distinct families and comes to a conclusion that is both common-sensical but overlooked all too often:
 

The lesson: Ensure that your engagement style matches your company's brand, goals, and general attitude. We took a look at the top five engagement styles that currently dominate the social web. Which are you?

This should be the first question any company asks itself before launching a social media campaign. Without this singular guiding principle - essentially a mission statement - efforts can be wasted. And it's important to define yourself before diving in. Without an identity that makes sense for your brand, the social media community will back away; today's savvy consumers will be turned off by incongruity.