One of the required readings for my graduate course in social media and the inspiration behind this blog post is the book Groundswell: winning in a world transformed by social technologies.  The book is a comprehensive look into how technology has revolutionized the business world.  I would suggest reading it for a more detailed explanation of some of the best practices I’m sharing here.  Though it touches on areas outside of social media the book explains how social technologies of all types are the primary force behind the groundswell.