Over the past year, many companies have jumped on the social media bandwagon, acknowledging that it’s more than just a trend. While many social networks have come and gone, others, like Facebook and YouTube, have proved their longevity.

We don’t have a social media crystal ball to tell us which will thrive and which will tank over the coming year, but there are ways ensure you’re getting the most ROI. As simple as it is to establish an online social presence for your brand, it is just as easy to measure its success with the use of free applications and tools, like Google Analytics. Mashable has a great list of tools here.

In addition to analytics, once you’ve started to dip into the social media tools available to you, don’t forget to listen to the response. Along with paying attention to the content you’ve added (check comments on videos and links, or replies on tweets), a general scan of your presence on the Internet will help keep your eye on your brand’s reputation. Use such tools as Google Alerts to have notifications of your company’s name on the web arrive in your inbox, or try some of the tools Mashable lists here.

Collaboration is a huge part of what we do. And creative minds don't always think alike. But that's what keeps things interesting around here. This post was written in cooperation by members of the Trampoline Branding staff.