Evaluating Social Media Experts
There are many voices in the social media space. This is a new type of marketing, with no standardized credentials. There's no way to be sure a so-called expert knows what he's talking about. Whom should you trust?
I've developed two key questions for you to consider about each expert:
- What specific measurable results has this expert helped companies achieve?
- What types of businesses has he worked with?
I have deliberately not included questions like whether he has written a book, whether he speaks at conferences, how many Twitter followers he has, or what his Klout score is. Some of the most effective social media consultants I know have no book, don't speak, and don't look that impressive on Twitter.
And your business is unique. There are a lot of different kinds of businesses with different goals. Coca Cola has different goals and resources from the local dentist, so they won't succeed with the same tactics. Any guru can tell them to listen and engage, but if you want more specific ways to get quantifiable results for your unique business, work with one of the following:
- Industry expert—If you want deep experience, get someone who has gotten social media results for businesses of your type and size.
- Social marketing expert—If you want broad experience, get someone who has gotten social media results for businesses of all types and sizes.