Do you manage any corporate social media accounts? Ever wonder if you’re managing those accounts just like The Great Oz?

While social media is a great tool to promote, engage, enlighten, and educate, I’ve seen too many businesses and brands use their accounts via smoke and mirrors, only emphasizing power, authority, and an “all knowing” mentality similar to how The Great Oz managed the Emerald city.

Granted, many users are just outsiders in the social media realm, simply watching, learning and absorbing what is conveyed to them. Given this type of response, The Great Oz is pleased.

Similar to radio, users have the ability to use social media to simply listen without ever actually engaging or providing any input to the station. However, 2014 is here. That means we now have to opportunity to make our voices heard more easily than ever. Both from an Oz perspective, as well as coming from just the munchkins.

So if you’re Oz, are you using the platforms to provide just push marketing, or are you actively using them to be social and to get to know your customers? Do they know who the social media manager(s) are, or is it simply a brand conveying a message behind the curtain?

Social media gives us the opportunity to be known, as brands and people. Skip the pyrotechnics, smoke and mirrors and show the world who’s the man behind the curtain. We all benefit most from knowing each other better as well as the brands they stand behind.

Related: Twitter is as easy as Tic-Tac-Toe

Are you a munchkin, Dorothy, or The Great Oz? What role do you play in the social media realm? What actions can you take today to become more transparent, helpful, and friendly online? Doing so will mean helping others learn, grow, and benefit from knowing you.

Duane Drzadinski is a marketing professional, father and social media enthusiast. Connect with him and continue the conversation on Twitter and LinkedIn.