Gurus and Thought Leaders
The more time I spend using social media tools, the more I realize there is always something else to learn. I’m definitely a fan and see the value that social media brings to my personal and professional life. But there are also a lot of new and exciting resources emerging every day and staying on top of the latest social media application could almost be a full-time occupation.
But one thing I do know a little bit about is selection and evaluation. So for those of you who (like me) are diving head first into the world of social media, I’d like to give you a bit of advice about the plethora of gurus and thought leaders that are popping up everywhere.
Do your homework.
If you’re reading an article from someone offering social media “training”, can you find them on LinkedIn/Facebook/Twitter or even a blog? If someone isn’t using social media, how can they offer advice?
If someone is trying to sell you a social media webinar, Google them. Does their name show up?
If someone tells you they can give you the secret to having thousands of Twitter followers, find out how many Twitter followers they have. If they have 12, how are they planning to get you thousands?
Yea, I know. This sounds like a no-brainer. But there are plenty of people out there right now who have a Twitter, LinkedIn or Facebook account and call themselves a social media strategist. IMHO, the best people to learn from about social media applications are fellow users. And guess what? Most of them give their expertise away for free.
You know that a little due diligence goes a long way toward protecting your organization when selecting a vendor or consultant and the same is true with social media applications. And, with a little time and effort, you might find everything you need to know without paying a penny. Just sayin’…
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