Seven Signs Your Social Media Coach Is a Fraud
Ouch. Painful headline. But The VAR Guy is growing tired of social media “experts” trying to make a buck off of small businesses that are desperate to bolster their online identities. So, how can you tell a true social media expert from a pretender? Here are seven clues.
First, let’s rewind a bit. What exactly inspired today’s tirade from The VAR Guy? Lack of sleep, plus three lattes, plus a bunch of unsolicited notes from aspiring social media gurus who, um, spend too much time on Facebook.
No doubt, there are some real social media pros helping VARs and solutions providers. Stuart Crawford comes to mind. After a successful run as a solutions provider, Crawford is now part of ulistic — a company that advises Calgary businesses on various social media strategies. Another name to know: David Meerman Scott, author of The New Rules of Marketing and PR. He wrote that book before most “pundits” typed their first Tweet.
Now, let’s assume you’re a solutions provider that’s trying to bolster your social media presence. How can you find a truly helpful coach rather than a pretenda? Here are seven signs you might be dealing with a social media fraud:
1. I Say I Lead, But I Really Follow: Check the coach’s Twitter feed. If the guru is following 2,000 people but has fewer than 2,000 followers, then the guru just failed the most basic Twitter rule of all: Following too many people too fast, in a vain attempt to gain more followers.
If you follow 2,000 people BEFORE 2,000 people follow you, then Twitter basically freezes your account until you either (A) stop following a few folks or (B) more people start following you.
If all that sounds confusing just remember this: If the guru seems to be following people just to get followed, you know you’re working with a follower — not a leader. Got that?
2. I Can’t Automate Feeds From A Blog to RSS to Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter: The best social media gurus spend most of their time running their own communities — and automating their messages out to third-party systems like FaceBook and Twitter.
Sure, gurus pop into FaceBook from time to time. But if the expert can’t automate the way information flows from your web site to third-party social media sites, then you’re dealing with a fraud.
3. I Forget the True Purpose of Social Media: The true purpose of social media is to serve as a highway, and drive conversations back to your business Web site. The idea is to use FaceBook, Twitter and LinkedIn as highways to your home page or corporate site.
If the Social Media guru offers Twitter advice before spending time analyzing your web site, you’re dealing with a fraud.
4. I Don’t Know the Difference Between WordPress and Blogger.com: Quick, quiz your social media coach about WordPress, Blogger.com, Ning, Drupal and other common platforms. What are the major similarities? Major differences? Pricing models? Hosting models? Hmmm… Lots of questions. Does your guru have the answers?
5. I’m A Pro… But I Can’t Prove It: Quick, ask your guru for three examples of his or her social media success. Got a blog site that has hundreds of inbound links? Build a community where the dialog never stops? Ask your guru for those types of examples.
Oh, and ask for examples of search engine optimization that land on the first page of Google search results.
6. I Blog A Lot… But I Don’t Know How to Measure Success: So, how exactly does a social media guru measure his or her success helping clientele? Number of media hits? Number of leads? And how are leads measured? Social media results can be pretty abstract and hard to define. But try your best to define metrics for success.
7. I Change My Identity. Constantly: My Twitter ID changes every week. I shift from one blog URL to a new blog URL every few weeks. My web site design shifts constantly because I use free templates that everybody else uses and they grow old quickly.
Find a guru who actually spent a few bucks designing a nice online presence of their own. If the guru can’t afford to invest a few bucks in his or her online presence, then chances are the guru isn’t much of a guru.
Exit, Stage Left
Sorry for the rant. It’s been building for about two years. The VAR Guy is now done with his third latte of the day. And he’s done with this blog entry. Best wishes for a successful online presence.
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I completely disagree with #2.
I find automated feeds very impersonal and a big turnoff. People don’t make connections with automated systems.
For the most part though, I agree with the rest. Who Dat?
Sean: That’s the beautiful thing about social media. It’s okay to disagree and debate the message. The VAR Guy certainly “checks in” with his various social media destinations. Personal engagement is key. But there aren’t enough hours in the day to hang out on all those different social media platforms.
Most Social Media expert don’t do SEO. Social media is the entry level job, then Search Engine Marketing (PPC) and the people that really know their shit are the SEOs, the real ones, not some guy from India that guarantees #1 ranking (thats really just PPC still acting like its SEO)
A real SEO is also an expert in PPC and social media.
A real social media expert isn’t above 35, has hit the front page of sites like Digg and Reddit several times, and more than likely has multiple accounts on social sites which they wont connect with their real name accounts.
Zak: So, um, you’re suggesting anonymous blogging and/or fictional account names work? The VAR Guy agrees. Without a doubt 😉
Mary Likes This!
Sounds like you’ve been burned in the past, Var Guy. Experience is the best way to learn social media, and that being said, you don’t have to be under 35 to pick up and excel in the social media world. If you need tips, or someone to help get you started, ask your friends and colleagues for a recommendation.
Mary: The VAR Guy just turned 40. (Though he doesn’t look a day over 50…)
-TVG
There is a lot to disagree with here, most notably the lack of understanding of what a social media coach might do to help a small business. We have 300 resellers enrolled in our current Channel Social Media Enablement program, and not one of these issues has come up – not even once. These resellers are more concerned about real life issues like communicating with prospects, protecting their customer lists, and the difference between business and personal profiles. The fact that my Twitter account does not feed directly into a Facebook page doesn’t seem to bother them at all. (BTW. Is number 3 a joke?) http://www.xeesm.com/mikedubrall
Mike: The VAR Guy appreciates the comment. But perhaps the reason customers (resellers) don’t raise the issues above is because they don’t know what questions to ask.
Also, careful with your Twitter account. You’re in danger of breaking rule #1…
Seriously, tho. It’s ok for us to disagree. The VAR Guy appreciates the debate and your readership. There’s certainly more than one way to build a social media strategy… tho The VAR Guy stands by the items above.
-TVG
Like your thoughts, VAR Guy. I’d argue that too many gurus focus on the vehicle rather than the destination. Nothing worse than a techno-wizard with no business sense, who barely understands basic marketing and has no concept of trust-building with clients.
The technology is meaningless without the people skills.
I also think too many SEO “gurus” are misleading business owners… people are spending ridiculous sums of money for lofty promises that rarely come to fruition. I’d like to hear your top 7 list of ways you now your SEO guy is a fraud.
Geoff
Contentious list. #3 in particular is a bizarre interpretation of the “true purpose of social media”.
In my experience, this list is more representative of numerous bloggers I’ve met who THINK they’re social media experts rather than people who really know how to leverage social media as part of a corporate marketing / business strategy. Many of these points are pretty superficial and can almost be immediately rectified by any social media fraud simply reading this list. As someone who spent most of my adult career working 13 hour days developing and executing social media strategies for some big-name clients, I didn’t have much time to building my own personal brand in social media – neither did many of my colleagues who, nevertheless, totally knew their shit.
At best, for me, this list could act as a guideline for questions to ask in an interview when recruiting for a junior member of the social media team. I’d expect much, much more from someone who’s supposed to be leading a business strategy.
My advice for companies looking for a social media guide: pick someone whose knowledge of business, marketing and social media is based on more than what could be gathered from a 7-point list.
Geoff@9: Yes indeed, the SEO topic could generate a boatload of additional discussion. After a few lattes perhaps The VAR Guy will be back with some thoughts on that.
Simon@10: The VAR Guy welcomes the debate. Your point about using social media as part of a broader corporate marketing/business strategy is absolutely on the mark.Our resident blogger never claimed to be a social media expert. But The VAR Guy does know how to spot the industry fakers. There are plenty of ’em out there.
-TVG
@The VAR Guy
“But The VAR Guy does know how to spot the industry fakers. There are plenty of ‘em out there.”
So true. And I welcome the debate. However, my concern is that by focusing on the superficial elements (i.e. twitter followers, automating feeds, platforms, blog design) you’re actually helping these opportunistic/deluded types.
Regardless, I totally accept the thrust of your article and appreciate any attempt to cast a light on the fakers!
This is a great discussion starter. And like you said – we don’t have to agree. So let me also disagree a bit 😉
1) Twitter suggestion – good one. Check the ratio even beyond the 2,000 mark
2) I agree with Seam – RSS is an information feed to read stuff – not so social. A good tool though.
3) If Social Media is a traffic highway to your website – I guess “marketing 1.0” would be the better term. So I would definitely be a social media expert fraud – because I would indeed ignore the website in the first place. Actually would suggest somebody does just fine even with NO website
4) OK a rather tactical question but sure they have to know.
5) Caution – If you are looking for a social media marketing freak, they have a few examples sure – but if you are looking for a social media strategist, they may not be able to talk about former engagements. But they are then referred by word of moth and if neither exist – walk away.
6 / 7) Ok – a bit lame though.
Here is a list that was put together about two years ago by 15 or so social media consultants who are all in the trenches.
http://socialmedia-academy.pbworks.com/How-to-evaluate-a-social-media-consultant
It may need some update but another good resource
However since I will not make it through the VarGuy checklist it may not be that relevant. But on the other side I’m neither an expert nor a Guru – only a social media student.
Axel
http://xeesm.com/AxelS
If only more networkers, marketers, entrepreneurs and businesses would read posts like this BEFORE they dish out “the big bucks” to a bogus blogger, self-made Twitter Expert, Facebook “don’t know jack but it’s more than you” and Over-priced Web Developer/Company. Can you tell I have heard a few too many “failure” stories lately? Yep. People are conned, every day into paying high dollar with low Return On Investment.
Let me add a Facebook tip: If they are telling YOU to get a Fan Page but don’t have one – RED FLAG! If their Profile Page has under 500 Friends, or Fan or Group Pages are, and they are saying they can help you get to 5000 or more – RED FLAG! Do “due diligence” before you hire someone. Check references. See their work. Find out the “Before I hired them…and after…” stories.
eMarketer.com posted yesterday stats that 51% of B2B Marketers found Facebook to be most effective. With LinkedIn and Twitter following. (http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?R=1007572)
GREAT POST amp; GREAT ADVICE, VAR Guy!!!
I look forward to reading more.
Great post up. One problem – I’m one of the poser’s you allude to 🙂
Again – really enjoyed the read.
Thanks VarGuy for the shout out…I am honoured that you mentioned my name. I love working with clients, IT Pros and MSPs understand the importance of social media in their business. The truth is that social media is full of crap. Like my recent article states. It is all about engagement with the community, prospects and clients. Social Technologies are simply tools to connect with people. With regards to SEO. SEO is one of the critical components with regards to social media as well. Just look how Google is returning search results from those in your social circle. When I look up managed services, VarGuys sister site mspmentor.com shows up from my social circle.
The real value of social media will be when we stop the debate, focus on communication, finding new ways to reach those in the community and making sure our brands and reputation stay clean and when problems arise, they are dealt with.
Thanks again Varguy for the shout out…
Stuart Crawford
Ulistic Inc.
http://www.ulistic.com
The VAR Guy apologizes for falling a bit behind on this conversation. Some random thoughts…
Axel@13: No website? Say it ain’t so. The VAR Guy thinks online presence should always start with a company’s website. Those other tools (FaceBook, Twitter, etc.) may come and go through acquisition. User loyalties shift. Control your own website, and you’ll always control your business destiny.
TheNetworkingQueen@14: The VAR Guy likes you name. And your attitude.
Harry Brelsford@15: Harry, your social media pipelines back to SMBnation.com are a prime example of social media done right…
Stuart@16: No need to thank The VAR Guy for the shout out. Best wishes with your social media business.
-TVG
VarGuy. Your #1 about Twitter threw me at first. But my colleagues all agree with you on this one. So, I bow to you and will now rethink my Twitter account.
Axel. I agree that websites are not so critical any more. Many reseller websites are just not good enough to be the end point of a social media campaign. (Maybe Stuart can help some resellers with this.) Blogsites, Social Media hubs and online communities are useful extensions of websites and maybe even replacements. And a lot of social media activity is person-to-person communication that does not involve a website, hub, or anything else.
IMHO, the number of followers or friends is not as important as the business experience of the “coach.” So, inspired by your list, I compiled my own at http://www.gilwellgroup.com. We also found and posted a video on the subject which is really very funny.
Thanks for the jolt. You really made me think about this subject. http://xeesm.com/mikedubrall
Hi Mike, I will be running some webinars for everyone in the next little while. If you visit my site at http://www.stuartcrawford.com and sign up for my list…you will be notified when I run my Social Media for IT Pros series.
Cheers
Stuart Crawford
Mike: Thanks for re-joining the conversation. The VAR Guy will check out gillwellgroup.com.
Stuart: Looking forward to Social Media for IT Pros.
-TVG
Loved the article, VAR Guy! I recently attended a seminar on Branding in Social Media presented by Sasha Strauss of Innovation Protocol. They have another webinar scheduled for march 31st. I think its 30 bucks.
Jake: The VAR Guy appreciates your feedback. Our resident blogger will check out Sasha Strauss’s content. Thanks for the tip.
-TVG