There are two audiences we deal with in my niche.
1. The people who are totally clueless and new to the social marketing, Web 2.0 thing.
2. The know-it-alls who will grill me for even saying “Web 2.0″ because they are so advanced and over it.
Group 1 pays the bills. Group 2 is just a pain in my ass.
Group 1 could use some insight into how to best start working with social sites to gte more traffic. On this level, a lot of experienced people can help them a great deal. But they are not “social marketing experts.” None of us are.
You cannot be an “expert” in something that continues to develop at the rapid pace that social media does. It is further complicated when you purport to be an SEO and Social Media Expert, because Google is just as purposely fickle as social media in how it determines the value of your work on social networks.
Calling yourself a social media expert is like someone who is sinking in quicksand calling themselves a “get out of quicksand” expert, while they are still trying to figure out how they are going to save themselves from it!
Reverse that from sinking in quicksand to succeeding with social media marketing and you have our current state of affairs.
There are people who know a lot about social media. They have had one-off success stories to tell about their Twitter campaigns or a Facebook app that did well. But they aren’t experts at something that is so new and still evolving to the point that there is no right answer to the overall question: “How do you conduct a professional social marketing campaign?”
That’s because the answer is different for absolutely everyone. It depends onthe amount of time and resources you have. It depends on your niche. It depends on whether you are going to start this month or next month what you’re best strategy might be!
There’s a big game being played right now with the thousands of people jockeying to be “THE” social media guru on the web.
Here’s how you play the fake social media expert game:
Someone announces something they did that worked really well and they’re really excited about it. To be seen as an expert, you must digitally yawn at everything everyone else is excited about and act like you already knew about it.
You go back to your blog and publicly ridicule the person to show you were far advanced by the time they came up with their epiphany.
You must always appear to be tired of people talking about social media that’s over 5 minutes old, while scrambling to sign up for an account on the latest recommended service and fill it up with info to appear that you’ve been there since day 1.
You should name drop constantly. The best way to be seen as a social media snob is to associate yourself with the others.
You should pretend that the whole world knows about something when, in fact, only a tiny percentage of the web knows about it. This is especially helpful in propping up your social street cred. Declare that Twitter will be dead in a year when it hasn’t even started yet if you want to get way ahead of the curve!
Invent a new social media service that doesn’t exist and declare it dead to win super bonus points!
No One is A Social Marketing Expert…
There are just people like me who follow social media closely, who have ideas and theories, some case studies, and who think strategically about social marketing in the context of an overall marketing plan which includes the solid, proven staples of web marketing.
So who to follow?
Follow the people who are passionate about social media and marketing. People who seem to thrive on discovery, testing, and sharing their results freely.
Watch the people who get “yawned” on by the social elite, yet totally blow them off and keep working and sharing. Those are the people who are actually making the most progress in their work on social media sites. They’re the ones with disclaimers and explanations as to why what they’re doing may or may not work for you.
The “experts,” on the other hand, come off with absolutes that you must do to succeed. There are no absolutes in social media other than being a real person and sharing before advertising.
So, look for people, like this, who are clearly enjoying their work in the social media space, who don’t claim to be the gods of social marketing, and who seem to genuinely get something out of the simple act of sharing, even if what they share is something all the “experts” knew about months ago. It doesn’t mean you knew about it or didn’t appreciate the tip!
These are the young days of social media. There’s a “gold rush” feel to it we should simply enjoy. It’s far too early to act bored about the whole thing just to prop ourselves up in an industry that’s not even an industry yet!
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This post is 100% applicable to anything in life.
If the general masses consider you an expert on a subject then so be it, but I feel that the moment you begin to consider yourself an expert there’s a good chance that someone is waiting in the wings to pass you by, especially something that is growing so rapidly, like social media.
Great post (as usual) Jack.
Darren
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Jack,
Great post, I fall into group 1.5 as I know it’s there just haven’t got a clue how to use it.
I’ve frequently wonder how self proclaimed social marketing experts could have a couple hundred or fewer followers. They should ban that word from the bio section as it’s the biggest reason I have when choosing not to follow others.
Your advice has been good so far, as well as your lists to follow, so I keep following and learning.
regards,
george
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awesome, I am glad that there are no such things as a social marketing expert…now I don’t feel so dumb… thanks you made my day!
Ryan
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I’m so mad! argh! I forgot to add the numbers and lost the 3 paragraphs I had written..
Moving on to my comment; thanks for such an informative post Jack! Great perspective as usual!…you are right in saying that there are no experts as of yet on something that is in its evolutionary stages….but one thing I have learned is that you are extremely educated and updated on the current news and updates within your niche – this is the very reason why I am here..
PS: I wrote way more before I lost the post!
argh…just wrote a paragraph this time.
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Great post Jack but I can help wondering who it is you’re referring to but don’t mention by name. It is clear that you have one or more people that you’re “dedicating” the post to
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@Mikael – I’m not telling but it’s way more than 1 or 2 people. If you click enough links in Twitter, you’ll start wondering who isn’t a social media expert.
Jack,
Your sense of humor honestly cracks me up!!
Between BlogSuccess, FTR and WebSuccessDiva I seem to find everything that I need to know.
Thanks. This post hits the nail on the head!
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Hey Jack,
Glad to see we are both fans of Maria – the web success diva. The girl knows her stuff! : )
I agree with much of what you have to say. There are definitely WAY too many self proclaimed experts out there who didn’t know what Twitter was 3 months ago.
That being said, I don’t shy away from the term “expert” myself. I don’t think an expert is a know-it-all. On the contrary, I think it’s someone who is constantly learning and stays one step ahead of the curve to serve others. And that’s a definition I can live with.
Shama Hyders last blog post..Why Social Media will NEVER Work for You
Shama – And I can completely picture myself telling someone about you. I’m sure there’s a 99.9% chance I’d say “Go see Shama. She’s a social media expert.” I mean, just out of habit when I describe people who know a lot of stuff about something, that’s what I say.
I wondered about who I’d be catching in this web that was deserving of the label “expert” especially by the definition you’ve mentioned, but at the same time I wanted to get to the heart of the fact that we are all learning daily about this stuff too. I’m sure you agree, and that’s what makes it exciting to us. There’s always something around every corner every single day.
Hi Jack
Great post today. I can see why the Diva put you at the top of her list
Thanks for the link to her blog. Now to check out the rest of the list
so I have some names to drop. I cant let my glass eyed dog beat me with his backflips over Problogger and Chris Brogan.
Gary McElwain
You name dropping, glass eyed dog owning expert you!
I think there is a Group 3 … and here’s why.
I don’t agree with you that there are no experts, as an expert is defined as “a person who has special skill or knowledge in some particular field; “ (cite: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/expert)
However, due to the constant flux of Internet related business, I would go more for Shama’s definition …
I think that an expert in our industrymust be “someone who is constantly learning and stays one step ahead of the curve” …
this is the type of person that I look to for guidance and one of the reasons I read what Jack Humphrey or Ed Dale decide to write about.
So Group 3 would be … people that are very knowledgeable about Social Marketing, is constantly learning and keeping up to date.
They are not a pain in the ass because they realize that you can’t be “over it”, because Social Marketing is still in beta.
Eoin
Eoin O’Learys last blog post..How To Twitter & Using Twitter?
Great points Eoin! I agree with you and Shama. I hope the purposeful irony of my making an “absolute” declaration about something that is not an absolute isn’t lost on anyone, lol. I have a dry sense of humor sometimes.
But it is generating discussion which is healthy!
Jack, Courageous post!
I’m totally on board with your thoughts. When it comes to niche marketing, one size (solution) does not fit all. In effect, there really is nothing like an overall social networking expert.
Case in point, I just returned a twelve disk how-to program for growing online traffic. (I’m sure that’s enough to go on). It’s a step by step guide which is basically a rehashing of information already out there for free. One of the instructions in this guide is that “if a step does not apply to your business, then move on to the next step.” I found this to be rather amusing, because I could have passed over the whole section devoted to social networking.
The reason for this is because my targeted market is not yet using 2.0+ social networking tools to much degree yet. They are still focused in the online Forum world. So when we’re talking about social networking experts, I would suggest that the true experts are those that are familiar with how specific market niches communicate, not just on the overall 2.0+ audience.
As a social networking guru I agree with and endorse everything in this article. Thank you.
Jack
An insightful point bypassing the vanity of knowledge to pursue the joy of discovery.
Spot on Jack. Not many people called themselves Blackberry experts.
Social media, or marketing if you prefer, is in a constant state of evolution, making all those top 25 SM expert trait lists obsolete before anyone can apply them. Group 3, as Eoin calls it, will certainly never let the tools overshadow the communication or one day declare there is nothing left to learn.
All the best,
Rich
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I clearly fall into category #1. I’m observing, learning, and doing just like so many others. Thank you for identifying and accepting me just the way I am.
The smartest thing I’ve read on the web in weeks.
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You are kinda wrong with the blanket statement that no one is an expert because of the rapidly changing social media world.
Just because the ocean changes constantly doesn’t mean there are no expert sailors.
YOU, Jack, are an expert.
Functional expertise is being able to get results of a specific type. So I’m even going to lay down my sword – aimed constantly at stupidity and hubris – and say that you can be a Little Expert in your niche area – if you do something – even a smallthing that works.
Your overall point is well made about the foaming at the mouth for visibility as a S/M expert.
What do you expect when anyone with a dial-up can setup a free account on Facebook and Twitter and start parroting and name dropping.
Like for instance, I like what Mistress Mia> is doing with the pinup calendar! LOL! IMHBAO
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Hi Jack,
I think that I have to agree with what Eoin had to say. I have been learning a lot about social marketing lately.
And it’s true to say that some people are more up to speed than others. But I don’t go to them because I think they are experts, it’s just that they know more than I do.
So perhaps when I have learned enough about social marketing, other people will want to know what I know.
Alan Taylor…
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Jack that’s a great point and as someone who is by no means an expert but is starting to understand this whole arena a little more clearly it can be frustrating when you get so many people on twitter (my main access to the social media world) telling their in-jokes, slagging off people for not using Social Media in the right way, and generally being pretty cliquey.
I think I’d be far more comfortable with people who went out there and shared and said “Hey here’s what I have to say, this is what I think, but you can make up your own mind”.
Having said that many of the people we all follow are making money or trying to make money out of advising and strategising for companies or individuals who want to enter the Social Media space. You can understand why they proclaim to be experts – no one wants to try to impress the CEO by hiring a Social Media amateur…
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Oh Jack…. digitally yawn I knew this already. (hehe)
I read somewhere that to announce yourself as an expert you only need to be 1% ahead of everyone else. As long as you know 1% more than they do then you are the expert LOL…. so it doesn’t take much!
It’s all relative and very subjective. When I put myself next to you I don’t feel like a blogging expert at all… and yet put me in a crowd of UK business people who don’t even know what a blog is…. or who have seen them and have no idea why they would even want one… and suddenly I’m an “expert”
I tend to look at the actions of the people I like to listen to and see just how much they put themselves out there for others. Strangely enough the majority of the people I love like yourself, Phil Wiley, Willey Crawford, Martin Avis, Fred Gleeck, Stephen Pierce and Jimmy D Brown – all shun the “guru” status they deserve!
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Yawn – I knew you were going to say that!
You know, the more I put “myself” into things, the more opportunity and money comes my way. I keep preaching the gospel of being simply open, honest and courteous as a “secret” success strategy, yet in 2009, it’s still a mystery to most people! I’ve heard more people quote Zig Ziglar (help enough people get what they want and you’ll get what you want, to paraphrase) than I’ve experienced people actually practicing. Not sure how that’s possible, but most are still not getting it none the less.
p.s. – I opened the “expert” can of worms just for this kind of dialog to happen. That 1% thing really isn’t that outrageous when you think about it.
Hi, Jack,
I enjoyed your take on experts in social media. I think it very much applies to most industries these days. I have over 25 years in sales and marketing yet have taken my free time in the past 22 months to get up to speed – somewhat – on Internet marketing and social networking. I feel it’s essential to advising clients to include these exciting areas. Yet I’m astonished at how true your comments are because I no soon think I have a working handle on things than something new spins my way.
Everyone claims to be an expert/guru in their field and your right, there is no so called “Expert” However I do believe from the famous words of lil wayne where he claims hes an expert only because he believes if he doesn’t believe in himself then no one will. Interesting points.
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True, there are no ‘real experts’ yet – the technology needs to mature before we get to that stage. That said, there’s a certain little Social media Black Book that does a very good job of helping users understand, and leverage, the power of sites like FaceBook, StumbleUpon etc
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I think you are absolutely correct, Jack. Social media evolves way too rapidly for one to claim that they “own” every aspect and are “the” expert. There are some arrogant pretentious pricks out there that I wouldn’t mind smacking. Now, on the other hand. If you are trying to brand yourself in your niche as an authority, you need to have specialized knowledge and something no one else has. Perhaps it is in social media.
The natural thing, it seems, would be to have people in that niche look upon you as an expert if the social media marketing campaigns are conducted correctly and your content is everywhere dominating the searches. Should you not embrace this “expert” title as a leader?
Digital yawn…
Absolutely agree!
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Jack-
Your thoughtful insights are always refreshing. Web 2.0, if correctly utilized offers very powerful marketing advantages. Although relatively new to this method of marketing, I’ve become familiar with it enough to help others who take advantage of the free resource library at Home Based Business Development Center
So no one is an expert, thus where we have to start to at least to use it as a starting point to learn social media properly?
You may not be an expert, but you may be at the forefront able to predict the changes and how to use the tools presented before you properly…..perfect example: Barack Obama.
I have read that to be an expert in something you need to have 10,000 hours doing that skill. Has anybody else heard differently? If that is true, you would need to be involved in your skill for 4 to 5 years. Which means if you are a social media expert you would have been doing it since 2005. Social Media wasn’t really as popular then. We were still in Web 1.0. So can we say that there are social media experts or people who just know social media really well.
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I agree- there are NO experts- only folks who are passionate about Social Media. Great post and TRUE to the bone. Passion is at the core of every “expert” and they take that energy and do amazing things- including jack humphrey! Bravo Michelle! I LOVE what you write- so right in the bulls eye!
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Jack,
That is somewhat similar to what I had concluded long time back. One remains a student for a lifetime. Even one who teaches is a student at another level.
There are levels but all of us are students in Social media or other spheres of life.
Have a great day.