Whilst often defined through their capabilities to publish, share and connect, it is important to recog- nize that social media are also valuable for listening and monitoring wider conversations, trends and sentiment. Where first generation websites are about publishing, social media are about conversa- tions and networks. They work most effectively when they are treated as an active medium, where you connect and engage, responding to comments and answering questions in real-time. Good social media practice means listening, responding, asking and sharing; it’s about being an active participant in the network. It can be helpful to consider engagement as a set of sequential stages
