Comments on: How To : Choose a Social Media Partner

By: Sheila Scarborough

Sheila Scarborough — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 23:11:38 +0000

Thanks for the kind mention, Simon.

I tell people quite honestly that my start in social media work (teaching workshops, consulting, etc.) comes from what my teen daughter calls “3 years of screwing around on the Internet; and Mom, are you getting paid yet?!”

Now, I can tell her that, yes, it is indeed my job to be on Facebook and Twitter.

Others may call me an “expert” but you’re right – it makes me cringe. I know a lot and I’ll teach it to you, but people and companies must understand that we’re all in a learning mode. Things move so quickly in this space that no one can know it all (and if they do, they need to get out more before there’s a Vitamin D deficiency.)

For example, based on my time in China and Japan, I’m already seeing that my professional knowledge of mobile is woefully inadequate for advising others on the tectonic communications shifts that started with the iPhone. There’s always something coming up.

My personal fake expert alert: anyone who says, “I’ll make it go viral.”

All that said, social media is simply connecting via hypersonically-efficient tools. If you’re an annoying marketer offline, then using these tools won’t magically overhaul your methodology. You’ll simply be annoying to many more people, in a more public way.

By: Ricci Neer

Ricci Neer — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 16:23:44 +0000

Very nice Simon! I agree. I built my entire enterprise online (99-03) before it was called social media, so I totally hear you.

I was approached this week to collaborate with someone claiming to be a social media expert. After a visit to his About page, I hope my blog post about it wasn’t too harsh

By: Christa M. Miller

Christa M. Miller — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 14:50:24 +0000

I kind of thought that’s what you meant, but at the same time, anyone visiting Cops 2.0 would probably think, “Damn, she talks about Twitter a lot. Is that the only tool she knows?” LOL

By: simonsalt

simonsalt — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 14:48:08 +0000

Christa
I should clarify, when talking about SOS I’m talking about the the so called experts who only talk about those new “Twitter killer” apps to make themselves seem different. Nothing wrong with education, its essential.
Simon

By: Christa M. Miller

Christa M. Miller — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 14:34:08 +0000

I would like to propose an addendum to “shiny object syndrome.” When I first read that, I cringed a little because I blog so much about Twitter at Cops 2.0 that I was afraid it described me!

Then I thought (justified? LOL) that the reason I spend so much time talking about it is that everyone else is. There’s always some news story about the latest PD on Twitter.

That concerns me because what I’m seeing is a lot of broadcasting. Twitter has value to LE, certainly, but I’m not sure enough PDs are seeing (or willing to try) the “relationship” aspect of Twitter. That’s what I’m trying to get across.

So yes, there’s a bit of “SOS” going on, but (I hope) not so much on my part!