Liz Strauss at Successful Blog

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January 24, 2011

27 Things to Know Before You Work in Social Media

ME Liz Strauss published this at 7:57 am

Let’s Be Honest

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Every day, I’m immersed in social business. I spend as much time on my computer as some people spend in their shoes. I rarely talk about “social media” except with clients, because to me that’s like talking about “pencils.” I’d rather be using one than talking about what they do.

I use social media tools to work on SOBCon with @Starbucker, to build communities and brand visibility for clients, to write blog posts and to curate content for people with similar interests. Social tools are business development, customer service, marketing, pr, community building, change management, and leadership — all at the speed of the Internet.

So I guess you could say I work in social media. If that’s your reality, your goal, or even a possibility for you, I’d like to point out a few things about working in social media worth knowing. This is not a rant, simply a set of observations which are quite similar to the challenges of any communication-based, people-centered endeavor.

The purpose of this list is merely to share that most people who are in this new and quickly changing area of business are finding that the work often has more nuances and challenges than we expected.

The problem with working in social media is …

  1. that, when you start, no one will believe you know anything useful — and you might not.
  2. that you’ll have to be multi-lingual, speaking and translating between two vocabularies — that of the social media culture and that of the people who’ve little to no experience with it.
  3. that you’ll have to figure out how to measure something that traditionally hasn’t been measured and to explain why those measurements are valid — you’ll have to have goals, tools to match the goals and reasonable expectations — without history that’s hard to do.
  4. that some folks will believe that impressions, eyeballs, and broadcasts are the best use of the tools.
  5. that, though you were enlisted to bring about change, the very folks who enlisted you might be the most uncomfortable with changing — one friend advises you might take care if you’re hired to be the “heretic” because heretic stories don’t end well for the heretic.
  6. that some people won’t be able to see the value of making relationships to growing business and keeping satisfied customers — even though relationships have fueled the businesses based on decades of trade shows and sales calls.
  7. that, when you do social business well, it looks easy, but it’s not — and no one will care how hard it was.
  8. that some people will misread safe responses as dangerous ones and dangerous responses as safe ones — understanding the culture of social business online is a learning curve that most folks acquire incrementally.
  9. that you’ll find most folks have a different sense of urgency — their sense of urgency will change some as they experience the speed of the Internet.
  10. that social media work isn’t glamorous.
  11. that the pay for the hours worked is even less glamorous.
  12. that, if you build a strong public presence, your mistakes will be public too.
  13. that, if you build a strong public presence, some folks will think you are all about making yourself “internet famous” — and that could be true.
  14. that some folks will be confused when you promote what other folks are doing — you might accused of “going native.”
  15. that you’ll need to personally invest and be detached simultaneously.
  16. that you’ll be critiqued by people who don’t know how to say things nicely.
  17. that you’ll be critiqued by people who don’t know what they’re talking about.
  18. that you won’t have resources to bring all of your strongest ideas to life.
  19. that some of your ideas will be out-of-sync, out-of-reach, or out-of-date before you have them.
  20. that only other social media advocates will “get” what you do — you won’t be able to explain the thrill of a ReTweet from someone you admire.
  21. that your significant other may think you care more about your online friends than your offline friends — your significant other might be right.
  22. that being social online means you’ll have to be social offline too.
  23. that no one human is good at every aspect of social media interaction.
  24. that no matter where you sit, stand, listen, or talk, you’ll have to change your point of view to see and respond to the whole picture.
  25. that the second you forget that social media is about the people, the people will find a way to remind you — sometimes they’ll remind you even when you haven’t forgotten.
  26. that each day will require that you focus fiercely, that trust yourself so that people can trust you, and that you learn more things faster than ever before.
  27. that, if you’re the person introducing social media to a business, you face the challenge of getting people to imagine the possibilities of something they’ve never experienced.

So there you have 27 things to know before you work in social media and here’s the one that makes those 27 worth it.

Inside each frustration is a chance to be a leader, to reach out and invite people to help build something we can’t build alone. The effort, the explaining, the energy can transform a a business by enlisting and celebrating customers, employees, vendors, partners who help it thrive. The first connection occurs when we show folks how these new tools make what they do faster, easier, more efficient, and more meaningful.

Soon enough, I hope we lose the term “social media” in the same way that we no longer have classes in “computer” or people who teach “email.” In the meantime, I tell my family that I write spy novels. It’s easier.

Bet you could add to this list. What do you think people need to know about working in social media?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz on your business!!

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Filed under Marketing, Successful Blog | 48 Comments »


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48 Comments to “27 Things to Know Before You Work in Social Media”

  1. January 24th, 2011 at 8:11 am
    Alasdair Munn said

    Humanizing social media. Nice.
    I would add that there is nothing virtual about social media. It is in fact grounded in real business application and acumen. Understanding what you are trying to achieve is always the first step. Keep that in mind, be transparent, true and efficient and the rest will follow.
    The other truth is to set expectations and practices according to how well you are resourced. If you are committing yourself to an online profile, ensure you have the resources to maintain, manage and effectively meet the expectations you are creating.

  2. January 24th, 2011 at 8:28 am
    Susan Young said

    Hi Liz,
    Thank you for this wonderful post; it is spot-on. Personally investing and detaching really hit home, and Nos. 17 and 19, too. We are in uncharted waters here and it’s nice to know we are all experiencing the frustrations and rewards together.
    Cheers,
    Susan

  3. January 24th, 2011 at 8:29 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Alasdair!
    I couldn’t agree more. I’m constantly saying “This IS real life. This is growing business the way great businesses have been growing ever since great businesses have growing.”

    And expectations has become a real talking point for me too. Every conflict and unfulfilled promise I’ve seen of late has been a result of poorly managed expectations. Your statements about profiles and resources are a great example!

    Thank you for adding this to the list!

  4. January 24th, 2011 at 8:55 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Susan!
    The nuances of social media work are similar to those of writing work. People think it looks easy, but the easiest part is getting it wrong. heh heh

  5. January 24th, 2011 at 10:12 am
    Ashley said

    Great article! I totally agree with everything you’ve said.

    My biggest issue is convincing people it’s worth it. There is ROI just like any other form of customer satisfaction has ROI- not always direct.

    Another issue is that people think that because they don’t ‘get’ social media that it’s going to disappear. Sound familiar? That’s why die hard fans of radio said with the advent of the television!

    Thanks,
    Ashley

  6. January 24th, 2011 at 10:43 am
    Elizabeth Doherty Thomas said

    Great, timely post! Consulting with a well established organization who do a lot inside their offices and want me to “make magic.” Um, the magic is not one way blasting.

    I believe Social Media is a journey, not destination! And the more you’re open to the twists and turns, the more possibility and excitement there are. It’s just that when a majority of an organizations people don’t use SM, you have to then rethink who is SM for and how to reach those younger folks. And that requires energy back on their end “offline.”

    It’s a fun back and forth for sure!

  7. January 24th, 2011 at 11:32 am
    Karen Malone Wright said

    Great post, Liz. But I confess that by the time I reached #7 I was thinking that most of these insights describe my career in public relations. the person who creates, buys, places an ad is easily understood. The behind-the-scene nuances of massaging a message and crisis management are often (deliberately) opaque.

  8. January 24th, 2011 at 2:15 pm
    Shannon Paul said

    I LOVE No. 8. That is one of the most vexing and difficult to explain.

    I might also add that sometimes being social 24-7 can feel very lonely since you have each foot in a different world, you technically belong to both and neither. Also, your online friends might lose any sense of personal loyalty and publicly bitch about your company as if they were a stranger to you.

    You’re right though — it is totally worth it when you see things start to work well, when you can actually see lightbulbs go off in other peoples’ heads and they share good ideas that weren’t even on your radar. Social really can make everything we do as a business better and more meaningful and it’s nice to be someone working on that side of the equation.

    I’m so glad you wrote this :)

  9. January 24th, 2011 at 2:20 pm
    Sean Clanton said

    “that your significant other may think you care more about your online friends than your offline friends.”

    This can be very true, especially if your family/friends/significant other doesn’t understand social media. Social media is all about relationships. Just as you said in #15, you have to be personally invested and detached at the same time. Social media is more than just a tweet or a Facebook post; it’s about building lasting relationships with people. For people that don’t fully understand social media, it can be a difficult concept to understand.

    Yes social media is your job. Yes you sometimes seem more interested in your online friends than your offline ones. But the real reason for this is that if you are doing your job well, then you have built a relationship with these people that you can’t just turn off at the end of the day.

  10. January 24th, 2011 at 2:25 pm
    Tami Belt said

    Social Media is a community, not a commercial. Just as one wouldn’t show up to a party empty handed, you don’t show up online with your hand out. It’s permission-based – you have to earn respect among followers. The old adage remains true, ‘Seek first to understand, then to be understood.’ Listen, share, engage, then speak.
    Great article!

  11. January 24th, 2011 at 3:28 pm
    Danielle D. Ali said

    This is spot-on! I was nodding to myself on every single one.

  12. January 24th, 2011 at 4:51 pm
    Kalisa said

    This is so timely. I begin my job as “Social Media Director” at a PR firm next week. I tell people my new title, and those who don’t use social media think I got Julie McCoy’s job.

  13. January 24th, 2011 at 8:20 pm
    Shayna Walker said

    Really, really well put. There is such frustration when walking into a room of “traditional” business professionals and advocating for “social” media…and such potential too. It’s tricky using the potential as enough motivation to battle the frustration. I love your insights – thank you so much for sharing the list.

  14. January 24th, 2011 at 8:26 pm
    Mike Cassidy said

    That no matter how many times you explain it, social media is not free.

    As always, thanks Liz.

  15. January 25th, 2011 at 5:04 am
    Serena said

    Found myself nodding along to all 27 of those things. It’s so true.

    Social media sometimes feels like you’re in a partially lit tunnel going at lightspeed with things coming at you to catch, handle and pass on whilst also battling against a strange crosswind of resistance and misunderstanding. all the while, you’re commentating on yourself for the benefit of others…

  16. January 25th, 2011 at 5:26 am
    Tuesday January 25, 2011 Business Buzz, News, And Insights said

    [...] 27 Things to Know Before You Work in Social Media By Liz Strauss [...]

  17. January 25th, 2011 at 6:48 am
    Betony said

    Great post! I really hope more people will “get” social media soon, as these 27 make it a very difficult job. I too tell my family something else and my friends from university seem to think I “play with facebook” for a living.

    Also @Tami, loved the analogy of turning up at a party empty handed!

    ~ @Simpli_B

  18. January 25th, 2011 at 7:29 am
    Chris Theisen said

    28. Just because you use the tools personally doesn’t mean you have a grasp on how to leverage them for a business.

    29. Unless you start at a strong brand or within a strong community it takes more offline work than online work to be great at your job. If you don’t have offline skills then dont bother applying to do online work.

    30. You will need to engage, interact and drive your businesses community to action; not the “social media” people you follow and talk to all day. There is a difference.

    31. That your awesome/best idea in the world will get less traction than you thought.

    I could go on and on :) Your list is pretty great and a welcome read for all those who say I want to do what you do :)

  19. January 25th, 2011 at 10:16 am
    Allen Mireles said

    I also found myself nodding my head with each of your points.Excellent and comforting to see it put into words.

    One of the things I ponder recently is how to describe what I do when so using the phrase “social media marketing” is considered by people within the social media and marketing to be inaccurate and yet people from outside (current and potential clients) use that phrase to describe what they want help with.

    The fast pace of e digital world and the constant arrivals of new tools and changes in the landscape make it a compelling and exciting place to work. But bridging the gap can be confusing and knowing what words to use to convey has me tied up in knots at times.

    Thanks for the post. (BTW, coming to SobCon Chicago! Finally. Woohooo!)

  20. January 25th, 2011 at 12:16 pm
    Keri Jo Raz said

    I’ve been in the business for a year now and totally resonate with the thoughts you expressed in this post. Thank you! I think people need to be careful about false expectations. Also, if you’re not flexible by nature, this might not be the right area of work. Being able to roll with the punches and adjust at a moment’s notice are definite temperament requirements.

  21. January 26th, 2011 at 2:35 am
    27 crazy realities of social media management | Stories, ideas and other things said

    [...] That’s exactly how I felt when reading Liz Strauss’s post on 27 things to know before you work in Social Media [...]

  22. January 26th, 2011 at 9:15 am
    Christina Rigby said

    Brilliant article Liz, I agree with each and every single point you made. I was going to pick out a few that particularly resonated with me but… they all do!

    Thanks for sharing.

  23. January 26th, 2011 at 6:12 pm
    LisaDJenkins said

    True. It’s all true and to some might seem unattractive. But not to me. I LOVE this work.

  24. January 26th, 2011 at 8:19 pm
    Chris Eh Young said

    I’m pretty sure that in order to comprehend this list and be able to comment means that I must work in the same environment. I do.

    Social media is still so new and still in a state of constant evolution. People don’t understand it so they assume and believe misinformation as truth.

    To understand the community, you need to live in the community. When you spend more time online than you do off, the lines get blurry. Those of us on the inside still understand and relate.

  25. January 26th, 2011 at 9:35 pm
    Margaret Doyle said

    The best part is that you address the uncertainty of it all–it’s sometimes the hardest part of trying to convince people of the value when things are changing at the speed of light. Thank you Liz, this is a very human, real, list that obviously resonates with those of us in the position of working in social media.

  26. January 27th, 2011 at 4:52 am
    Susie Blackmon said

    The unfortunate issue I see with [legitimate] social media experts and those who truly are knowledgeable in the field is that, like real estate, too many people are able to claim to be experts. How do you raise the bar so the many wannabees do not dilute the vocation?

  27. January 27th, 2011 at 2:25 pm
    Jay Baer said

    Simply brilliant. Bravo.

    I’m putting this in the time capsule and plan to look at it every year on this date, to see how the industry and its participants evolve.

    Thanks for so perfectly capturing this snapshot in time.

  28. January 27th, 2011 at 6:42 pm
    Selena Larson said

    As a student at the Cronkite School of Journalism, learning and using social media is second nature to most of us. However it is often learned outside of the classroom.

    As soon-to-be graduates of what some would consider a “dying,” field, we are constantly looking for new ways to tell, create, and share stories. Personally, I enjoy learning the next best thing to hit the social media market and am always open to how new media will affect us in the future. Especially when it comes to the job market.

    I have had a few internships where I am the go-to person regarding the social media strategy. And I love that. Although many people may still be skeptics, I am embracing everything I can, and hopefully when I do go into the working-girl world I can bring something new and different to the table.

    Thanks for posting!

  29. January 27th, 2011 at 10:08 pm
    Nicole Ott said

    I, too, thank you and completely agree that your points are valid and widespread. I would add only one other point –

    That no matter how many hours you spend doing SM, you can never know everything about it. SM changes so rapidly and constantly that it is next to impossible to keep up with each new idea, blog, platform, service, etc.

    Overwhelming much?
    Still, the passion for it continues, so I suppose I have to keep trying. :)

  30. January 28th, 2011 at 11:23 am
    Jay Deragon said

    Here’s one: Learning what is meaningful and significant is more important than saying or following the meaningless and insignificant :)

  31. January 28th, 2011 at 11:47 am
    Dave Delaney said

    What a fantastic post Liz! So simple, informational and also so TRUE.

    Thanks for writing this.

    Hope you’re well.

  32. January 28th, 2011 at 12:48 pm
    Jason Terry said

    Wow. Jumping on the bandwagon to agree with everyone else… just wanted to take the time to let you know lots of people are paying attention. My one response probably covers about 23 others that didn’t take the time to respond. :)

  33. January 28th, 2011 at 1:06 pm
    Gordon Phillips said

    Great list. I agree with the desire to lose the Social Media title. I tend to look at the process with a wider lens. It’s just part of the digital puzzle that includes optimizing your web site, paid search, integration with non web properties, location and mobile. That makes it even more challenging to explain to a client. Eyes begin to glaze and there’s an urge to call the sales department instead.

  34. January 28th, 2011 at 2:06 pm
    Vanessa WIlliams said

    Liz -

    It was like you were reading my soul! Thanks for the reminder that I’m not the only one with these experiences and ups and downs.

    V

  35. January 28th, 2011 at 2:37 pm
    molly said

    >Inside each frustration is a chance to be a leader, to reach out and invite people to help build something we can’t build alone.

    Ding. Social media is an interconnected, symbiotic organism comprised of flesh and blood people – people with hopes, goals, fears, dreams, and a need to be heard.

    That’s too big of a job for just one person. Great, great blogpost.

  36. January 30th, 2011 at 8:55 am
    Judi Young said

    Ditto – what they all said. Great post. How did you get in my head and write up my thoughts?!

    I have two possible additions -

    - that it takes about a year of listening, watching, absorbing and doing it before you really having any idea what it is you are doing

    - that, at any given moment, the vast sea of ‘things needing attention’ or ‘things to work on next’ or ‘things I want to explore’ is so great, focus and traction can be the biggest challenges of all (or is that just me?)

  37. January 30th, 2011 at 9:55 am
    chris bartlett said

    27 plus 1 excellent points to be considered and pondered before taking the “leap” into the vast seas of social media! Personally, I enjoy being a “newbie” and the daunting challenge….that lies before me! Kudos to you, Liz, for another insightful post!!

  38. January 30th, 2011 at 10:04 am
    Keri said

    Hello Liz,

    I’ve been working in social media for a couple of years now, and recently re-branded. You’ve really nailed it! Yet, I have lots yet to learn!!

    I really appreciated what Tami Belt had to say above, and Jay Baer’s idea to examine your words in time capsule moments.

    My add only further colors some already made…

    With the high rates of unemployment, I see many people looking to re-place themselves to find work listing “social media” as a service they can offer.

    Just as simply owning a camera doesn’t make you a photographer, being able to fill out a social media profile doesn’t make you a good community manager or social media strategist.

    Thanks for an awesome post, and for challenging me to be better than I am.

  39. January 30th, 2011 at 1:53 pm
    ME Liz Strauss said

    All of you have add so much to this conversation! I’ve been reading and thinking about your comments for days. Finally I decided that the best way to respond is to incorporate your words and thoughts into another blog post — to bring you out from inside the comment box to the front page.

  40. January 31st, 2011 at 8:08 am
    28 Telling Responses to 27 Things About Working in Social Media | Liz Strauss at Successful Blog said

    [...] week I published a thought piece called 27 Things to Know Before You Work in Social Media, an audience, thoughtful, intelligent, experienced readers — you — contributed thoughts [...]

  41. January 31st, 2011 at 10:59 pm
    Lori Randall Stradtman said

    Hi Liz,

    Thanks so much for your candor and willingness to share about working in Social Media. It’s hard to be so vulnerable and to have an opinion at the same time, but you did it beautifully!!

  42. February 1st, 2011 at 4:43 pm
    Critiques « Dispatches from the Castle said

    [...] Liz Strauss said in her recent blog post on 27 Things to Know Before You Work in Social Media, “You’ll be critiqued by people who don’t know how to say things nicely” and “You’ll be critiqued by people who don’t know what they’re talking about.” I highly recommend reading her post even if you aren’t planning to work in Social Media. [...]

  43. February 7th, 2011 at 12:06 pm
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  44. February 9th, 2011 at 11:55 pm
    Jen Lee Reeves said

    I couldn’t agree more. I’ve caught myself feeling behind the times even though I was working ahead of everyone around me… My life is consumed with social online and offline (the IRL is a big focus for me these days). Thanks for verbalizing these 27 items. I plan to share them with my friends and my students who are just jumping into social media.

  45. February 12th, 2011 at 4:15 pm
    Glenn Raines said

    Definitely checking the socialspeak at the door when leading clients into this new frontier is a biggy. People resist what they don’t know.

    And they don’t like secret sauce.

    So when you show how these tools can help a client identify the unmet needs of a prospect, and at half the price of a focus group, they get that.

    Teachable moments that translate, that resonate, are gold. Especially when they lead to a paying gig.

  46. March 3rd, 2011 at 10:55 am
    DJ said

    All of the 27 are very true. I am often explaining the potencial to new clients and the power behind SM and for some of the older genarations is not as easy to really see the ROI. Just like you mentioned on #3.
    @djperez79

  47. March 15th, 2011 at 6:33 am
    heretic business innovation | Insights & Ingenuity said

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  48. January 26th, 2012 at 10:42 am
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    [...] peers to share frustrations and ideas and successes with on a day-to-day basis. I came across this post after a local Des Moines professional, Emilee Richardson, tweeted a link to it, and though I [...]

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