A Facebook Post of flooded Chapel Hill

For years, we've been suggesting that companies can use their social media channels to help their community understand the news that affects them. Many social media practitioners still wonder how to do that.

Our friend David Meerman Scott gives some very practical examples of getting your company in the news through his Newsjacking approach. But today I'm thinking of a simpler, and damper, example.

Recently, my town in North Carolina was deluged by record rainfall that caused severe flooding and hazardous driving conditions. After seeing lots of scary photos and updates in my Facebook stream, I was apprehensive about driving my son to school that morning. I checked all the local news sites, but at 7:30 a.m., their latest updates were still from last night. So I asked the question on Facebook. Five friends responded within an hour and told me what conditions were like on the roads.

Especially if you're a local business (and large or small, you're local to somebody), you can help your community by sharing vital information, and you may as well scoop the local news, or provide a perspective that's more immediate and personal. We've seen great examples in the past around disasters both man-made and natural. After Hurricane Sandy, social media reports from individuals and companies provided real value to people looking for help, or wanting to know how to help. But you don't have to wait for a disaster. Here are 10 examples of using social media for localized content.

1. If you're driving to work one morning and the main intersection in your town is blocked by an accident, post it on your small business's social channels. 
2. If you have a kid in a local school and a lot of your customers do too, remind them when it's picture day. 
3. If the town council in your community is meeting to discuss an important issue, let your community know where and when the hearing will be held. 
4. I often post (when I'm not driving) about speed traps in my town. I feel okay sharing this information since my local police department publicizes them too, because they want people to slow down. My friends often share or Retweet those updates. 
5. Where's the best place in your town to watch July 4th fireworks, or to see holiday decorations? 
6. What are your favorite rainy-day activities for kids? 
7. Did it take you 30 minutes on the town's website and three phone calls to find out where to discard used house paint? Share this information.
8. Think about all the knowledge you've gathered about your community over the years. What would you want to know if you had just moved to town?

When I worked for a local newspaper, we used to share that kind of information. But newspapers are downsizing, many people don't read them any longer, and they are limited in the speed with which they can publish information. Sadly, you might not even have a local paper anymore.

Metuchen Matters is a Facebook Page from my hometown in New Jersey, run by a friend of mine. They offer a great example of how to do that, and one that's not too hard to emulate. Building lasting, personal relationships is one of the biggest challenges for any business, large or small. Your social media channels can help you do that, and to reach many more people than just the ones you see on a daily basis.

Will sharing this information lead to direct sales? Probably not, at least not right away. But the more useful information you provide, the more likely your networks are to share that information, and the more likely you are to show up in their feeds. And your community will know you're a knowledgable person who cares about them.

How else could you use your social media channels to help your friends and neighbors and build your network? I'd love to hear your ideas in the comments.