Don't you just LOVE social media? I mean, what's not to love? People ask me, "You do this stuff for a living?" I grin.
Same day a client says, "Now I don't want my people sitting around all day, thinking up Tweets. I mean, what's Twitter all about? Do we need it?"
Let me get one thing clear. I AM NO EXPERT. And let me get another thing out in the open, NEITHER ARE YOU. [And I'm including the Brogans, Godins, Vaynerchuks, and Armanos of the world.]
[Whew!] That feels better.
So what are we, us social media workers, if not experts, gurus, savants, consultants, strategists? What do we call what we do? Facebook posting maniacs? Twitter Twitterologists?
I coined a term the other day that sort of stuck with me. I'm a social surgeon. I pick the places of entry, I help define the illness or enhancement. And then we go in. WE. While I "write" much of the strategy for a company, I don't "write" for the company. I don't post "on behalf of" a company. I don't even do PROMOTED TWEETS. While I'm no expert, I'm also not a promotional vehicle for my clients.
Non-disclaimer: If you see me posting it, it's my opinion. If you don't agree with me, ignore, unfollow, or in extreme-measures BLOCK. But if I post about LOVING a certain WordPress plug-in, you can be assured I was not paid to promote it. And when I tell you Go Daddy is SICK and should be ABANDONED, I'm not doing it for anyone buy myself. [And you should get your stuff off Go Daddy now, ask me why, or Google Go Daddy Hate.]
What I do write, is content strategies [ideas for what to write/post/tweet about]. What I do in social media is train teams on how to be "honest and effective," rather than salesy. What I hope to do in social media is promote the transparent use of social channels like Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and LinkedIn. What I rail against is sexist advertising [Go Daddy], dubious uses of social media [pharma does not need to be on Facebook, for any reason], and really poor uses of Twitter [spam, MLM, Auto-Bot techniques].
And beyond that, I'm a student of the socialz. What Pinterest will become is anybody's guess. I don't think it's gonna be the force everyone is harping on about. And I don't think "Social Business" is a new concept, but rather a new marketing buzzword.
Oh, and I'm pretty self-centered. My ideas are my own. You don't have to wonder if my Tweets, posts or rants are paid-for by anyone else. And that's one of the reasons I've never "monetized" my blog.
I am soul driven, not advertising driven.
I have my opinions. I have an unapologetic voice. But I'm no expert. I'm a student. And most of all I try to be honest. And if I get it wrong, I either unpublish, or recant my dumbassness. And I've done a few posts I regret. And a few that I've unpublished, that I'm very proud of. ANYWAY…
Don't be an "expert." Be a "student." Even someone with a black belt in martial arts needs a master. Keep the beginner's mind in everything you do.
@jmacofearth (also seen on Google+: jmacofearth)
permalink: http://uber.la/2012/05/expert-not-found/
Other posts to help you kick ass in social media:
- New Social Business: Merely a Buzzword or Something Revolutionary?
- Eight Alternative Photo (and Video) Apps for your iPhone Reviewed
- More of This and Less of That, Please – Thursday Morning Coffee
- An Arch Nemesis: Why It Might Be Good To Be Blocked and Hated by a Few People
- House of the Flying Ultrabook(tm): Searching for the Mother of All Ultrabooks(tm)
- What's All This Hashtag Stuff? If You Don't Tag It, They May Never Come!
- Blogger Manifesto: 1. Write; 2. Submit; 3. Converse; 4. Be Nice
- Google Drive! The Unboxing: Are You Prepared to Give Google Everything?
- Microsoft Retail Store – REALLY? SERIOUSLY? The Dream of a Windows World
- Your Cloud of Tweets – What Are You Going On About Now?
- Nobody Reads Your Blog: Sorry! Get Over It and Get On With It
- Apple Spring Anticipating Another Wave of Innovation: Phones, Laptops, Tablets
- Twitter Death – Suspended Accounts: FEAR THIS "Your account is currently suspended"
- Twitter 101: Hashtag Discovery & Business: How-To Do Social Media Marketing Research
- The Quick Course in Online Marketing: Big Picture (Social Media, Search Engine, eMail, Content Marketing)
Most people don't really enjoy being mean; they do it because they can't help it. (from Graham's Hierarchy of Disagreement)
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