Maybe I am a Social Media Expert!

How Knowledgeable Are Marketers With No Social Media Experience?

Marketing Sherpa's Chart of the Week:

Majority of Marketers Believe No Experience is Needed to be a Social Media Expert

Much like Beth Harte and Michelle Tripp, I steer clear of calling myself a Social Media Expert - I consider myself a marketer (one with a record of success and several years of experience working with social and new media) - and for many of the same reasons as they express in their posts. Proclaiming oneself as an expert implies that one believes they no longer have anything to learn. Also, knowing how to use the tools does not mean you know anything about marketing and marketing strategy. Social media marketing is still marketing but with new tools. You need to know both and any "social media expert" who can only help you learn how to use the tools but not also understand why, when and where to use them is not going to be able to help you adopt and utilize them in an effective manner to build your brand or grow your business.

But then I saw the chart above.

Using social media tools, no matter how prolifically, does not mean you understand how to integrate them into a marketing plan. Marketing Sherpa sums it up nicely:

You may have spent a lifetime watching hours of television on a daily basis and being exposed to an infinite number of commercials in the process but, based on that, would you consider yourself knowledgeable about producing a TV commercial? Of course you wouldn’t.

However, since a majority of my fellow marketers believe that familiarity with social media is sufficient and experience using the tools in service of a marketing strategy is not a necessary condition to consider oneself knowledgeable, I can at least not cringe when well-meaning friends call me a social media expert. Though really I'm holding out for social media goddess.

Comments

[Michelle Tripp]

Great post! You've made a key point that really needs more public exposure. Understanding the social media tool is not enough. Being able to combine that knowledge and familiarity with strategic thinking is the key to successfully using social media for marketing. And the only way to be able to have deep strategic impact is to have a marketing foundation. Thanks for making it clear that the most important part of being a social media practitioner is knowing the how, when... and most importantly, WHY.

@michelletripp

[Mom101]

Great post Maria. Folks like you who actually do know what they're doing must find it frustrating when those who don't try to elbow into the field.

I also think this translates to all aspects of marketing, not just social media. As an ad agency creative, I can assure you there are very many marketers who have never written an ad in their lives that still believe they are the best possible person to rewrite mine. Heh.

[Maria Niles]

Thanks Mom101 and Michelle for your kind words and support.

And, Mom101 your point is right on. I'm am still surprised by how much interest people have in me writing copy. One brand management job I held turned out to be 25% copywriting. Understanding strategic marketing well enough to know when and where you need good copy doesn't mean that I can create strong, effective copy. It means I know when to start hiring. I am in awe of talented creatives like you. It's constantly surprising to me the range of unrelated skills that clients and employers expect to find in one person and under one umbrella. I've seen a flood of job descriptions lately looking for "social media interns" AKA college kids who spend lots of time on Twitter and Facebook but whom the employers expect not only to work for free (because kids love the social media so much) but also to possess IT, creative and strategic marketing skills, as well. Insanity.

I once got nearly came to blows with corporate counsel at a creative review board meeting because he (and several others on the board) were trying to rewrite my ad agency's creative and I refused to allow them to do so. So I feel your pain. And my unwillingness to mess with other people's genius is why a commercial director (edited: not producer - I can produce but direct, not so much) once called me her favorite client ever! :)

Also, you might enjoy the video in this previous post http://consumerpop.typepad.com/fizz/2008/09/when-marketers-stop-listening.html

[Mom101]

Oh Maria, I'd be honored to be your copy bitch any time.