28 Comments to “Bloggy Question 79: What’s a Social Media Expert?”

1. April 6th, 2008 at 8:15 pm
   Mother Earth said

   I think this happens alot - don’t you? I often ask if they have ever thought of a tag line for their business, usually they ask me why I asked that and I then can say to clarify further what it is that you do. This at least opens up the conversation. I can say that I do nutrition, but mentoring you to health success says a bit more, further if someone says tell me a little bit more about that, I even have the next layer that gets it down to the nitty gritty - I wish more folks spoke out loud about what it is they actually do.

2. April 7th, 2008 at 12:48 am
   Daddy Papersurfer said

   I would suggest a banner on the business card that read

   “BLOG POLE DANCER” and the by-line “I can show you all the angles”

   You’ve got to stand out from the crowd.

   [OK OK - I'm going now ....... tsk]

3. April 7th, 2008 at 7:47 am
   ME Liz Strauss said

   Hi Mother Earth,
   Last year, more than once, folks asked me “What do you do?” They were asking because they wanted to find a way to work with me and I wasn’t being clear. I’ve gotten clearer on my “work with” page, yet clearer on my new business cards, even more clear on how I talk about what I do.

   It’s changed my workload immeasurably to the positive.

   Recently another friend said the same thing — being asked what she does — was happening to her too.

4. April 7th, 2008 at 7:50 am
   ME Liz Strauss said

   Daddy Papersurfer,
   Your point is made.

5. April 7th, 2008 at 8:47 am
   Kelly said

   Liz,

   This drives me nuts! Lack of focus, lack of uniqueness, lack of relevance, are probably the biggest issues putting little guys out of business while they say to their friends, “I just don’t know what’s wrong.”

   I heard and ad on NPR this morning for a well respected university (in no danger of going out of business, and with enough marketing dollars to do better) which said (I have to paraphrase because I was on my way to work and couldn’t take notes) “We prepare you for the future, provide unique opportunities, and offer tremendous learning challenges.” You DO? Oh my goodness, I can’t get that anywhere else! I’m moving to Rhode Island right now so I can get into your MBA program, because clearly you are unique!

   Ahem.

   “Social media expert” is even worse. It’s unbearably trite just like the above, but worse, it is preaching only to the choir. Depending on whose stats you like, somewhere around fifty percent of small business owners and a larger portion of the general populace has never read a blog, nevermind used other forms of “social media.” For most people who might need what you do, the term is MEANINGLESS. Money down the drain.

   People who know what you’re talking about are either also reasonably expert, or don’t know why they would need you, from that description. So for the choir, it’s useless. Money down the drain.

   What do you do that I’ve just got to have? That’s what’s got to be on your business card, blog header, wherever. And please, if you do something half the planet does (like the college, or the expert, or a mechanic near me with a sign that says, “we do mufflers”), figure out what aspect of it you do that nobody else does.

   People get tired of hearing about USPs (Unique Selling Points), but somehow they never get tired of NOT looking for their own.

   That’s got to be more than my 2 cents’ worth.

   I do hate to see talented people flounder for lack of focused Vision.

   Regards,

   Kelly

6. April 7th, 2008 at 9:45 am
   Sam Lawrence said

   If I saw “Social Media Expert” on a business card I’d squint my eyes and feel my jaded radar kick in.

   Sounds like an attempt to try too hard.

   Plus, proclaiming yourself an expert is a sure fire way for me not to believe you.

7. April 7th, 2008 at 9:51 am
   Nancy said

   Great question! Unless you’ve built and launched a ~successful~ Social media site, you’re not a Social Media “Expert,” you’re a social Media “Junkie.” Nuff said because Kelly said it best ;D

   I spend a lot of time on Soc Nets and I even run my own http://datumonkey.ning.com/ but I’m no expert.

   But I’m also one for truth in advertising. I am a Marketing Copy Writer but if you look at my business card or web site, you’ll see my preferred title… “Turd Polisher.” No glam, no glitter, no “expert”… The truth has set me free!

8. April 7th, 2008 at 9:51 am
   Lisa Creech Bledsoe said

   Great question, Liz, and interesting comments. Kelly, I think your point is a good one, although sometimes you can expect too much from a tagline or business card. New and innovative ideas often have to be explained, and it doesn’t always work in (to use Twitter’s limits as an example) 140 characters or less.

   I try to think in stages: Tell it in one phrase, then three, then a paragraph (also be able to write a chapter). Be able to offer any of the above, depending on the space available and situation.

   Enjoying the conversation,
   Lisa Creech Bledsoe

9. April 7th, 2008 at 9:52 am
   ME Liz Strauss said

   Hi Kelly!
   You go! I smiled reading every word of your comment. The truth is using a “buzz word” somehow makes us feel like we belong and choosing the right unique value proposition is hard. Of course the first is unlikely to support a business — a nondescript description is none at all.

10. April 7th, 2008 at 9:54 am
    randulo said

    I remember years ago when everyone had ‘web hosting’ on their business cards, a company we chose had “server farmer” (it doesn’t translate well from the French) on his. It got my attention.

11. April 7th, 2008 at 9:56 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hey Sam,
    I’m thinking of 5 cards I saw at SxSW that said something like “social media expert” on them.

    When I asked what that meant, I got five different answers from Linkbait/SEO to Public Relations.

12. April 7th, 2008 at 9:57 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hey Nancy,
    Knowing what we really do is the key, isn’t it? When we know what we do, we can point to the results.

13. April 7th, 2008 at 9:58 am
    sylvia said

    There is still a desire not to pigeonhole which leads to the common problem of fuzziness. A vague description feels like it allows for freedom but in the end says very little.

    Wow, your commenters are great! Blog Pole Dancer is the best job description I’ve heard all day!

14. April 7th, 2008 at 9:59 am
    Jonathan Fields said

    Gotta agree with Kelly.

    One, if you already know, in clear unambiguous terms, what a social media expert is, you likely don’t need one.

    Two, nobody knows, in clear and unambiguous terms, what a social media expert does…not even the social media experts, because they all do and know very different things. Social media is so vast, any title would be far better served by providing a fair bit more specialized and differentiated information. When I was at SXSW and I met new people, they didn’t say, “I am in computers,” they said they IU designers, rails developers, copywriters.

    Three, some titles can get away with a simple title, because the jobs are so ubiquitous the title implies a benefit. If your card says lawyer, it implies you will fight for someone else or solve their legal problems. Not so with social media expert.

    Most of the people who need social media help have no idea what it is, how it works or why they need it. A business card should peak interest, but not make someone have to work understand why this person is important to their business.

    The only exception to this, in my mind, would be a title that is so intriguing, people would just have to ask what it’s all about. The title actually becomes headline and hook.

    FYI - My business card reads…Career Renegade. If you’re gonna break all the rules, you should at least stir emotion and inspire conversation.

15. April 7th, 2008 at 9:59 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Lisa!
    That tell it in varying chunks is a plan worth working on. I’m going to take the challenge as soon as I finishing writing this comment.

16. April 7th, 2008 at 10:06 am
    luca Filigheddu said

    Interesting question. I saw that “title” many times in the last months. Well, I imagine that “social media experts” are power user of social networks like Facebook and has a proven successful experience in building a community-driven service. In my opinion, not many people can be described as “social media experts”.

17. April 7th, 2008 at 10:16 am
    Silona said

    Isn’t it really just all about the vocabulary? And the fact that people are always uncomfortable about new vocabulary until society as a whole decides what that is?

    Business Cards are simply short conversation so you have to create vocabulary and hope people ask you what they means and as that sector grows and matures it acquires a more solid definition.

    honestly - a true maven - would simple have a hashtag on the card that is associated with them and say google me.

    The part I find annoying is that she couldn’t define the term. At least saying what it means to him/her. I have been labeled a “Social Media Maven” by my friends that aren’t into all of the social networking sites… I explain that eventually the whole “who you know” aspect will be more and more important in regards to doing business on the net.

    And to understand Social media you need to understand how all the various shades of media (Film, video, photographs, graphics, text etc.) how they fit into getting your message across many different forms of communication (email, text, wiki, Social network postings and commentary, blogs and commentary etc) and those extremely varied audiences and their demographics ( teens, genx, elderly bingo players, etc.) There are basic things a person/business can do to establish their identity on the net. And they do need consultants to help them with this.

    So instead of getting upset over a term - Can I suggest us creating a definition? or requiring those that use a term to have a definition handy and ready to use?

    heck I think one aspect of the “social media expert” should be
    1) can’t help but join every new media site that techcrunch blogs about?
    2) is in the top 10% with percentage of number of followers in most of those sites
    3) some commentary metric - like 10-30 comments for every post made.
    blah blah blah

    Cause I would argue that people like Scoble and Jeremiah are “Social Media Experts” but if I haven’t heard of ya - you probably aren’t

18. April 7th, 2008 at 10:50 am
    Michael Bailey said

    Several blog posts covered this topic http://mobasoft.com/wordpress/?s=expert

19. April 7th, 2008 at 11:32 am
    Don Lafferty said

    I’ve been a sales executive in the high tech space for many years, but no matter what my corporate title, when folks ask I just tell them I’m in sales.

    I’ve grown into my social media know how as a writer, consequently, when I’m networking I use my Writer card. Handing someone my Writer card ALWAYS results in the person asking me what I’ve written or write about, which enables me to take the conversation in a number of directions.

    By the time I’m in the early stages of engagement with a client, my title is inconsequential. They already believe.

20. April 7th, 2008 at 4:41 pm
    MAGGIE AT COFFEESHOPMAFIA said

    Depending on how well she has taken advice in the past. I would offer better more appropriate suggestions.

21. April 7th, 2008 at 9:57 pm
    Carol said

    Not wanting to limit myself to any niche, I listed myself at LinkedIn as an “Independent Information Services Professional”. LOL Sounds fancy, but I suppose someone could just say I am a blabbermouth.

22. April 8th, 2008 at 8:34 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    This comment thread has added so much value. I’ve read it twice and get overwhelmed at trying to respond.

    I’ll be back again.

23. April 9th, 2008 at 8:27 am
    Jenny said

    I like Daddy Papersufer’s suggestions. LOL

24. April 9th, 2008 at 9:07 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Yeah, Jenny,
    He kind of sets it right out there, doesn’t he?

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