In fact, we all are.
What do I mean by this?
I mean simply that each of us by default is a social media expert. We each read, write, talk, text, email, twit, Facebook and the like with each other all of the time.
Let’s compare ourselves to 100 years ago. You could count the ways of communication on one hand. In person, telephone, the wire and print publications.
Now we have devises that can do all of that by themselves.
What’s it mean to be a social media expert? Nothing, because we all are.
If you need helping learning how to be social online, simply treat everyone like they are your largest customer.
Most people view social media experts as someone who makes money helping people tap the amazing powers of the Internet like it is some magical box.
The truth is, the difference between being a social media expert and just a social media user typically involves speeches, business cards and charging lots of money.
The best social media expert is the one who just teaches you how to listen to your customers online and talk to them like normal, everyday people, because they are.
Dog and pony shows are awesome, but the truth is we all know how to be social. It’s just time to learn how to do that with new tools.
Thankfully, Twitter, Facebook, Blogs and Youtube are built with a super shallow learning curve.
If you want to pay someone to set up a Twitter account for you or a Facebook Fan page, that’s great. Do it if it saves you money by saving you time. Or you could just ask your 15-year-old son.
Done.
Now take all of that money and time I just saved you and go and do something awesome!
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That is good common sense “telling it like it is” Josh. If only there were more “experts” exposing the truth about Social Media and honestly guiding folks through the maze.
Thats the thing, Social Media is only time and effective communication. If you can talk with others in real life you can on the Internet as well. Pretty easy. Now, just finding time to communicate online as much as in “real life”.
I agree, it ain't that hard. many business owners are just afraid of the unknown, and that is where the “gurus” come in and suck them dry.
I think that the real training needs to come in with mindset. I have seen business owners jump on twitter and spam the bejesus our of the local hashtag with specials, sales and coupons. Those people quickly fail.
They have trouble getting into the mindset that social spaces on the net are just like social events like parties and banquets. of course, we've all seen that “same guy” at the party slashing business cards over beers, and he doesn't get any new customers either… once again, mindset.
BTW– my 15-yr-old son has the pimpest myspace page in his whole school because his dear old dad hand-coded it for him ROFL!!! Now we are working on some rock-star-type videos to throw up there. I am having so much fun being the cool dad, LOL
AL
Nicely done Josh…
People so quickly forget that they need to have conversations and not just yell at people. Its so annoying when everything some business tweets/updates is promo with absolutely no personal interaction beyond that. Fridays restaurant in Fargo does that and annoys the hell out of me. Even after trying to start dialogue nothing in return.
Haha, good point!
It's true that we're all social media experts to some extent.
On the other hand, I think marketers and companies often really need the consulting they get from experts, even if all the expert does is repeatedly tell them to act like a HUMAN and stop spamming sales-pitches on social platforms…
It's amazing that people would need to be told how to act human online, but seems there is way to much hype and disinformation out there that it does require it over and over again.
And I am the Down Under Social Media Expert and don't you forget it!
There is always more room for social media experts as we all are one.