Comments on: You’re not a social media expert because I’M the only REAL social media expert

By: How can there be SO many social media experts? | Cynosure

How can there be SO many social media experts? | Cynosure — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 12:42:06 +0000

[...] UPDATED 4/3/09 with this great link: “You’re Not a Social Media Expert Because I’m the Only Social Media Expert [...]

By: Brian Combs

Brian Combs — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 22:22:02 +0000

Great article.

The non-stop buzz about social media reminds me not only of the early days of web design (who remembers the blink tag?), but of search marketing in the early part of this decade as well.

I’m always amazed by people who say “such-and-such social media system is the solution to all your woes”, without even knowing what the client’s woes actually are. Social media networks are tools for connecting people. Sometimes you need a hammer. Sometimes you need a screwdriver.

By: Michael Schaecher

Michael Schaecher — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 18:36:02 +0000

I was recently doing some pro-bono consulting for a midwestern chapter of Habitat for Humanity, helping them get a new website and better utilize social media. There was a Twitter Consultant who kept trying sell them on contracting with him to manage their Twitter campaign, because “Twitter could solve all of their problems”.

He is the perfect example of a snake oil salesman. I don’t really see how Twitter would even fit in with their organizational goals, being that maybe 5-7,000 people in our geographic area use Twitter. Of course he never really sat down with any of the staff to determine what their goals actually were. Objectives and a purpose should come first when developing a social media campaign, not the tools. Once you do that, find the tools that will help you achieve those goals. Not the other way around.

By: Adam Pieniazek

Adam Pieniazek — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 17:36:31 +0000

Great post. I tell all my new clients that I cannot guarantee traffic/revenue but can guarantee I’ll help them use their social media profiles efficiently and help them find solid and valuable connections within their niche. Social media is not about boosting your ego/bragging about numbers, it is about finding relationships that can mutually benefit both parties (whether they are your competitor, fan, client or business partner).