I’ve been in web development/creative for over 14 years. Until the mid-2000s, you had to be an expert in web technologies to be a publisher … or at least have the money to hire the experts. The game has since changed and now anyone can be a content producer and apparently, anyone can be an expert too.
So now what? How does one qualify as Social Media Expert?
Is a social media expert someone who blogs 101 over and over again? Do you have to publish books on the subject? With respect, do you have to rub elbows with Joel, Solis, Defren, Fox, Jaffe or one of the Shel’s to be an expert?
I don’t think it really matters … although I’ve met and respect all of them, they only have a few dozen months experience in “Social Media” ahead of the thousands currently popping up as experts, not to mention all of the PR and ad agencies finally coming online in a truly meaningful way for their clients.
Many articles have focused on this social media expert question as of late. Personally, I’m surprised by the layers of BS you have to sift through in order to come to any sort of “expert” who qualifies based on having met business objectives for real client needs.
Is it really who you know? Does it matter how many people follow you on Twitter? On LinkedIn? On Facebook? Does it matter how highly ranked your blog is on Technorati? Social media is part of everything I’ve done in the last three years, yet no client has ever asked me these questions to qualify my expertise… ever.
The term Social Media Expert has jumped the shark. Social Media Expert is like saying you’re a broadcast expert, or a print expert … it’s too vague and we’re way past due for the reckoning. However, I understand the need to keep it just a little longer. There are social media experts out there who do provide meaningful consultancy for their clients and there’s still validity in knowing about social media in order to engage in any meaningful way – but there has to be more to it than the fishbowl as described by Mitch Joel, or the “circle jerk” as described by Ray Wert of Jalopnik.
Who are the real social media experts?
They’re the ones who achieve meaningful results for clients. The ones in the trenches trying to make it work. The ones who learn from mistakes and always put the message ahead of the platform. Look for ones who demonstrate “the attitude”, not the ones who preach about “the technology”. The ones who establish meaningful relationships and provide relevant content; content which often finds its way to the Huffington Post, BoingBoing or even Jalopnik. They’re the ones who delight when video they’ve produced earns tons of views and a shift in brand, product and feature awareness. The ones who engage in or enable meaningful dialogue with their customer’s customer are the ones to look out for.
A social media expert is one who’s more concerned with their clients’ results than their own personal profile. A social media expert identifies business objectives, develops strategies to meet them and then delivers on all of the above.
Ask your “expert” about the results they’ll get. If there’s a quiver in any way, or they answer with something incomprehensible… run away.
That’s my 2 cents… keep the change.
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22 Responses to “Has the Social Media Expert Jumped the Shark?”
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February 17th, 2009 at 6:55 pm
“…put the message ahead of the platform.”
Yes!
Of all the many, many smart things you’ve said, Collin, this ranks among the smartest. Can I get that on a T-shirt?
February 17th, 2009 at 7:03 pm
Thanks MOCC… Maybe it should be a TEE Shirt. How can I obamacon it?
February 17th, 2009 at 7:08 pm
@CollinDouma Not every day one gets to tag a serious article with ‘circle jerk’. Meta-awesome!
February 17th, 2009 at 7:20 pm
…put the message ahead of the platform. http://bit.ly/PVMnp
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
February 17th, 2009 at 7:31 pm
“I wanna be an expert!”
“I wanna be an expert!”
“I wanna be an expert!”
“I wanna be an expert!”
“I wanna be an expert!”
Or a Super Model. (That’s Hot!)
Or a Astro… a astron… a, a, a, Space Guy!
“I wanna be an expert!”
“I wanna be an expert!”
“I wanna be an expert!”
Or, or or sumtin! Yeah Sumtin! Like Brtni (Insert heart over da I)
Thank you.
My name is Hockley Van Buren III and I approve this message.
And I am a Social Media Exprt.
February 17th, 2009 at 7:36 pm
Reading “Has the Social Media Expert Jumped the Shark?” by @CollinDouma http://tr.im/gquq – gotta love the Fonzie pic
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
February 17th, 2009 at 7:36 pm
That @Collindouma is always jumping sharks. Maybe it’s because he’s a social media expert.? http://is.gd/jTmM
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
February 17th, 2009 at 8:31 pm
Hey Mose… the “candy man” has clearly made a visit for your birthday!
You are a super model in my books.
February 18th, 2009 at 12:04 am
@DoctorJones has the post “Has the Social Media Expert Jumped the Shark?” jumped the shark? http://is.gd/jTmM
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
February 18th, 2009 at 12:07 am
@CollinDouma Your post came up in my FB stream a few minutes ago. It was worth sharing. How’d you get to be so darn smart? http://is.gd/jTmM
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
February 18th, 2009 at 12:26 am
@CollinDouma Your post came up in my FB stream a few minutes ago. It was worth sharing. How’d you get to be so darn smart?
February 18th, 2009 at 12:36 am
Jumping the shark has jumped the shark. But has it nuked the fridge?
February 19th, 2009 at 10:38 am
Great perspective Collin. Too often, people’s eyes glaze over by all the cool shiny-pretty-things (apps, widgets, you name it). As communicators, it’s really important for us to step back and say what’s our strategy and then carefully choose the tools that will help us achieve it.
February 19th, 2009 at 11:04 am
Thanks for the comment Martin.
Objectives before tactics every time. Social Media is extraordinarily effective if you prioritize in this sequence.
February 19th, 2009 at 12:10 pm
Objectives first eh? This is true in all marketing. There happens to be a big void for any shlep with a FB account to jump in right now. The so called experts are everywhere, there are too many in big business who are looking for change but don’t understand the new mediums. As such, they are willing to trust (radically) anyone off the street. Some are smarter, they will only work with people with huge amounts of followers or some sort of street credit (books, speaking gigs, etc.).
Not that they are necessarily a lot better, the mediums are in infancy and what’s more, they are a completely new type of communique. No one truly understands the associated behavior yet, but those able to manipulate it somehow will get first mover advantage. It probably won’t sustain over the long haul, but who can blame them?
The point is that the proof is in the pudding, but that isn’t out the oven yet.
February 19th, 2009 at 11:01 pm
Robert
… and who doesn’t like some fresh pudding?
thanks for the pov. Agreed
February 26th, 2009 at 5:15 pm
@billdeys Check this post out “Has the Social Media Expert Jumped the Shark?” http://bit.ly/PVMnp imight help…
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
March 2nd, 2009 at 5:28 pm
Put the message ahead of the platform – ya for that thought.
However it seems to be we should always be looking at what we want to say, why, and to whom all the time. In fact pretty much a constant evaluation of where we stand in public, media or government relations.
Way too many experts have made out social media to be such a ‘break the rules’ medium that they lose sight of what the exercise was in the first place.
Thanks for putting out some perspective on the whole game.
(though I might have added after the line about “anyone can be a content producer” that “and many should never be allowed anywhere near content” )
October 20th, 2009 at 5:34 pm
Indeed Collin, indeed. So many folks are getting tangled in the delivery mechanism of the message and not focusing enough on the message itself.
To Martin’s point, many (of us) are distracted by the shiny, pretty, new and cool things; and they are that, no doubt. But who cares how you’re saying what you’re saying if what you’re saying is irrelevant, misplaced or without authenticity and clarity?
Having said that, delivery experts have a valuable place in the process. Once the message has been crafted we still need the tactical experts to ensure the message is delivered flawlessly and appropriately. The key is in knowing which expert you need and when. Craft the message first. Plan and execute its delivery second.
You wouldn’t go to your printer and ask her to write your brochure. You wouldn’t go to your developer and ask her to write or design content (necessarily) for your web site. Assessing the expertise of the social media “experts” you engage is equally as important.
How do you know what kind of expert they are? Ask them if they can help you craft your message. If they don’t ask what your corporate objectives, strategies, challenges and constraints are; if they don’t take significant time to understand what you’re trying to say and who needs to hear you, maybe you should keep looking. They may still be the right technical/ delivery expert, but not your message expert. Message first. Delivery second. Know where you are in the process and which expert you need.
Also my two cents.
@paigesaid
October 21st, 2009 at 9:23 am
Great post, Collin. I think social media consultant/expert/consultant is going to disappear soon or fade into the background as social media becomes just another tool within a marketing/communications arsenal. For now, social media expert is part of the landscape as the market continues to emerge.
Mark
October 21st, 2009 at 1:55 pm
Wonderful post! I especially like this: “A social media expert identifies business objectives, develops strategies to meet them and then delivers on all of the above.” That’s exactly what a strategic communicator should be doing for his/her clients whether the PR/communications involves social media or note.
October 22nd, 2009 at 12:46 pm
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