I’ve been given great opportunities at Springbox to help manage social media projects. Social media projects often present unique project management challenges. Here are some of the lessons I’ve learned along the way that help keep social media projects on track and lead to success: 

1. Be prepared for the quick turn. A huge benefit of social media is the ability to share information quickly with people you’re connected with. Creating a schedule for immediate interaction is next to impossible. The solution? Define your “go-to” people for quick-turn social media work and allow for a buffer in their daily workloads to take on last-minute work.
2. Plan for the unknown. In the new world of Facebook application development, we often know what we are capable of doing; however, sometimes, we’re not quite sure how we will do it. Work with your developers to build time into schedules for discovery and research.
3. Roll with the punches. Social media platforms are regularly changing. New features are added. Key functionalities are optimized. Many times such changes aren’t communicated to agencies right away. Make sure you and your teams are staying up-to-date on changes, so you can quickly adapt to them as needed. 
4. Play by the rules.  As more and more brands enter the social media world, social networks, such as Facebook, are developing rules to protect their users and their environment. Know all the rules of engagement and make sure they’re included in your project briefs.
5. Get in on the fun. Don’t just create social networking accounts, get involved in those networks and see what your friends and brands are doing. The better you understand the landscape, the easier it will be to understand and guide your social media projects.