My friend, the very clever Casey Peters made the observation on Twitter the other day that simply using Twitter for a short time doesn’t make one a social media “expert.” I’d agree with that, but I’d also say that “expert” is a very loaded term, and one with inherent risk for anyone adopting it in a field as new as social media communications and marketing. The medium and the tools are evolving incredibly quickly, so even the best of the best at this stuff are learning as they go. That makes the field a fun place to be, but it also means that expertise is a relative thing. Unless you actually conceived of and run Twitter, I’d certainly err on the side of modesty in declaring guru status in this particular area 
But Casey got me to thinking about what qualities I would be looking for if I ran a company, nonprofit or brand looking to hire a social media consultant. What really matters in tapping someone to spark and engage conversations on your behalf? Well, obviously I’d want someone with a great feel for what works and what doesn’t in building a brand in any medium – traditional or digital. I’d want someone who could really write, and who keeps fully abreast of specific online tools and how they can best be utilized. But there is one thing I’d insist on that might be missing from some folks’ resumes. However, it would be fundamental for me in making my choice.
That one thing is this: I would want someone who has significant personal experience with specific online communities. If the potential hire is a motorcycle enthusiast, I’d want him/her to have been an active member of a well-established community (message board, email list, etc) for motorcycle enthusiasts. If she’s a mom, I’d want to know who her favorite mom-bloggers are, and why. Whom does she read daily? Where does she leave the most comments? If he or she is all about fly-fishing, I’d ask to see that fantastic and well-visited hobby blog they run just for the love of the topic. I would want to know what the blog’s traffic is, what analytic tool is used, and hear the blogger’s enthusiastic explanation for how she built it up to that level.
In other words, if a social media consultant’s only interest in and experience with the field comes as a result of trying to earn a living off of telling other people how to do this thing, well, I would see that as a real weakness. Personal engagement in social media is the boot camp for a good social media “expert.” It’s where you learn the ins and outs and nuances of how online communities grow and contract and evolve over time. It’s how you learn to tactfully negotiate flamewars and deal with trolls. Your personal blog is your laboratory for playing around with what really works in building a readership and following.
I see a lot of social media marketers being “that guy” who barges into preexisting conversations without any sensitivity to the things that make that social media space unique and special. Online communities have personalities and inside jokes and dialects that are highly specific to them. A social media “expert” who has cut his or her teeth with meaningful personal experience knows this intuitively, and thus brings a really big advantage.
Online community is all about conversation and connection. Joining the conversation in a smart, appropriate way, and building those connections is really both an art and a science. It requires very good listening skills, and the ability to show respect to the people who are already in the room, so to speak. You can’t use the same voice or style in, say, an iVillage message board for women with weight loss issues as you would on Twitter. You can’t build a loyal (meaning they come back week after week, and actually leave comments) blog readership the same way you get people to friend you on My Space. Different places, different voices, different approaches. And this is something you learn because you have actually been to all those different places and spaces — not just as someone trying to sell something, but as someone who truly enjoys and benefits from the wonderful world of online communities.
Show me what you have done; don’t just tell me what I should do. And let me know through your own participation that you really “get” what it means to be a full member of a thriving online community.
So that’s my two cents on what I’d want to see in choosing a social media strategist or consultant for my brand. How about you?
(Want to know more about what I do in my job as Director of Social Media at Ackermann PR? Get the 411 RIGHT HERE.)
22 Responses to “If I were hiring a social media “expert”…”
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We took the safe, smart route and just got you.
Spot on. It fits in with what I’m trying to do myself. I participate in various forums and even do a little work at part-time community moderation at WagNBrag.com. I recognize that the only way I am ever going to approach something on this side of “expert” status is to participate and learn.
Its really the same advice I or you or anyone would give aspiring writers. You don’t become a writer (or improve as a writer) by waiting on someone to ask you to write.
At dinner last night with my wife we were discussing this new world and the new opportunities that are becoming available. I pointed out that my past experience (writer, magazine editor, public relations, radio, etc.) is all simultaneously quite relevant and quite irrelevant. My past experience has presented me with many of the skills that I can use to become a so-called expert, but I must learn to use those skills in a slightly different way.
Just like trying out a new machine at the gym, it’s going to take some repetitions to get the muscles used to the change in activity. If I can stick to the routine, push myself past my comfort level on a regular basis, and keep enjoying myself then I can see my career opportunities expanding.
Equally important is to take care, and respect, those in the same arena. As in, answer your e-mails. It’s one thing to blog, but to use it as a one-way conversation seems one-note. If that makes sense. I’ve loved how Stephanie Klein interacts with her readers; even with numbers as vast as hers, she takes the time to find ways to respond to their points and/or e-mails.
Well said, Katie – and I think it’s true in many industries and professions. A teacher or pediatrician with kids of their own is better for it. Likewise a realtor who’s bought or sold their own home, or an editor who actually reads for pleasure.
The difference here is that social media is new, so the floodgates are open for all the newly enchanted consultants who smell a business opportunity. I don’t begrudge them – heck, I’m one of them. But personal engagement really *does* hone your instincts in this sphere, and eventually will separate the wheat from the chaff.
I agree with Marjorie.
I become a better teacher with each year of mothering I experience.
You see your students in a totally different light.
I agree that it always helps to have personal experience in the field in which you deign to be an “expert.” But it’s a HUGE misstep to say that teachers and pediatricians who don’t have their own children are somehow less qualified than those who do. This is a major pet peeve for me, as a young teacher with no kids. I am a damn good teacher, and I don’t have kids. I don’t have to have my own children to be able to love my students or to teach them, just as a pediatrician doesn’t have to have her own kids to be able to be a gifted healer of kids. I have a couple of friends who are teachers who for different physiological reasons are not able to conceive, and they are two of the most incredible teachers I’ve worked with. Much, much better, in fact than several of my colleagues who have children. They hear the “teachers with kids just know kids better” comment all the time, and it absolutely kills them–I mean absolutely shreds their hearts–every time.
Agreed! To Amanda’s point – while I don’t think it’s important for an “expert” to have their own blog, it is important that they participate in various communities so they know first hand what works and what the potential pitfalls can be. Other than this obvious reason, why would I want to hire someone who doesn’t feel passionately about social media? It’s a big enough time investment and a new enough field to where I’d only feel comfortable hiring someone who really likes interacting with others online and is respectful of differing opinions. The rest (i.e. the “expert” part) will follow.
Yes. In part I agree, especially the part where the person needs actual interest and experience from the field in which you work. Ie. they need to understand the biker community in order to be able to build your MC brand amongst bikers.
But there is something equally important which is that a potential consultant should also be able to show examples of other work they have done for other brands than their own. It is a completely different thing building your own brand and feeling equally comfortable in building someone elses. Loads of that “true” or “genuine” feeling is lost if the person is not used to put themselves in others shoes.
Anyhow. Liked the post a lot!
Cheers,
Jesper
An expert should have the tools to work in any business. But to implement strategy and concept I think you must know the business quite well – otherwise the credibility will be low.
Whoops! I meant to write “claim,” not “deign.” “Deign” sounds mean!
Some great points here and I agree – people need to show that they understand the areas that they are going to be engaging in. However, I disagree with Jesper Åström slightly – Jesper, if the PR/marketing company has never had a biking client (and none of the team are keen bikers) then they can still get ‘it’ as long as they have experience of dealing (offline) with specialist press and (online) with bloggers, tweeters and other SM/online areas.
Great post. I work at home, and have been getting sucked into the world of forums, social networks, and blogs. I’ve noticed more and more job listings for bloggers and social networkers who know the various sites, so I figure it’s worth the time to be there even if it just feels like entertainment. I’d love to hear more about how you think social media has impacted your career as a writer, or the other way around.
@Craig McGill – Offline I am keen to agree with you. And online too if the person has contacts that are able to provide the kind of insight/work needed to communicate with the targeted ambassadors that should help build the brand.
But, if I was to choose between two consultants. One who knows the jargong, and one who knows the medium. Then I would choose the one who knows the jargong.
But as I said. It is equally important that they can show that they can work with other brands than their own.
//J.
Jesper Åström, I can see your concern there – and it’s fair enough – but I would expect any PR team that I hired to get up to speed on a subject. Sometimes being the more indepth can be handy but sometimes you want a PR team that can spread across media.
At the end of the day, as we’re both saying in our own way, each case and situation is unique.
ps – nice site. Can I link to it on my blog?
@Craig McGill – Yes I completely agree. Word of mouth travels across media formats as it is a result of people with relations exchanging stories with eachother. Those kind of relations are usually built over time and so it is a huge advantage if the person is allready anointed (my english fails me at this hour)
Cheers,
Katie – well said! You also bring up the great point that social media is really just online community which exists in popular form now via twitter and facebook, but has existed in the enthusiast realm for years on the forum level.
Well stated!
Amanda, I’m a little chagrined (sp?) at my misstep, esp. seeing as how I myself fought the fertility wars for 8 years and have all the same sensitivities. Sincere apologies for the unintentional slight. My son’s best, BEST teacher was child-free, and his worst teacher had two kids, so big oopsie on my part.
I think the general point still stands – *personal experience* enhances *professional ability* (however you define those terms).
Well, then Marjorie, it looks like we agree! I totally shouldn’t have bogarted the comment space to air my own pet peeves–I hate it when people do that, so that was pretty hypocritical. I can stand behind the statement that almost all the time, personal experience of any nature in the field in which you wish to work makes you more prepared for a job in that field. (It actually seems kind of silly to even say that out loud, but I’m trying to stay on topic here! Sheesh.)
I read and thoroughly enjoy some blogs but not having one of my own, I’m not experienced with how to build a following and I’m not aware of all of the behind the scenes stuff that goes on in the blog world.
I’m sure if I were to start one and were able to nurture it into a wonderful forum with lots of readers and commenters (like Kate has!!)I would have a different appreciation for the complexities of the blog and social media universe.
And now.. going off topic.
@Amanda: I too, am a teacher. I earned positive evaluations before I had children as well as after.
I’m saying that for me personally,it was an eye opener to watch my own children develop. Even though I earned “A’s” in every early childhood and adolescent development course I took, it was amazing to live through it with my children. It had a significant impact on how I teach and relate to my students and their parents.
Having said that; I too, have had to work with teachers who are parents that struggle in the classroom.
The art of teaching (and of doing any job well, really) is a wonderful and mysterious thing. I commend you on being a good teacher. I know it’s not easy.
I agree with most of this, but also side with people like Amanda and Jesper. A bike company could certainly benefit from hiring someone who has no clue about biking, but is an active community member in other places that have no direct correlation to biking. That person may already know how to play well inside a community, maybe how to be a forum moderator, maybe how to be a blog editor. That expertise can be transitioned to the bike company’s team members much quicker by someone like this, rather than figuring it out on their own. Its been my experience that companies know how they should act in the SM world, they just need someone to remind them of the rules sometimes. Obviously, if you have two equal candidates in every other respect, but one has their own bike blog or is a forum admin on a popular bike message board, that person is clearly more qualified. But I wouldn’t rule out someone just because they have no previous experience with that product. IMHO its much easier to catch up on a bunch of biking terms than it is to go out and learn how to be an active community member across the net.
I recently came accross your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don’t know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.
Ruth
http://besttoddler.com
I would definitely use a social media expert for building social networks, and to tap into and use the experts networks if your own network isn’t sufficient or not in place.