Guest contributor PCMS Consulting says:

For the purposes of this blog post, I'm going to focus on the "big" social networks – Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google+, Instagram, Pinterest, foursquare, LinkedIn and flickr.

As you'll notice, that's still a pretty long list. Having an active, well-managed presence on eight social networks isn't just a challenge for many brands, it's impossible. Here's where the challenge comes in: how do you determine what networks offer the best return on engagement for your brand and are the best use of your time?

I only make it through my day with generous amount of lists, so here are three things to do to find the right fit for your brand.

1. Be an early adopter

In the grand scheme of things, it doesn't hurt to try out a social network before the bandwagon comes barreling by. A great example of this is Pinterest. In its earliest days, no one on the marketing side knew if it was going to be a useful tool, but the brands that decided to test the waters earned an early following and were able to capitalize when Pinterest got huge.

If an up and coming social network is starting to generate buzz among the social media addicts, set up a page or an account and see how things go. At the very least, you'll have your brand's name staked out in case it becomes The New Facebook, and at worst you'll have spent a couple hours reviewing your branding and company information.