Social Media Isn't a Job? I'm Not So Sure.

Lately, I’ve been stewing over the empty assertions of social media observers with too much idle time on their hands. The one bugging me today: Social media isn’t a job.

I disagree. While the tools of social media are available to everyone, the ability to use them well isn’t a given. Should we do away with the Communications department…after all, everyone communicates, right?

Look, just because I have a hammer doesn’t mean you want me building your house. I passed “Hammer 101,” but I’m no carpenter.

There’s more to well-run social media programs than liberating your employees to babble on Twitter all day. You need a plan – a business plan – and it damn well better make sense.

Just because you’re popular on Twitter doesn’t mean you can run a successful social media program. That takes leadership, vision, creativity, a strategic mind, and business acumen.

Consider what a social media director must do (or oversee):

That’s just for starters. I know a handful of veteran PR/marketing professionals who can do that. I don’t know any unemployed Twitter debutantes who can.

Luckily, some companies are starting see the value in a social media specialist. Amber Naslund found several examples. Here’s one from Time Warner:

Strategic and creative thinker with the ability to take larger strategy and insights and translate into ideas and executable plans in the social media space.

Focused, strategic, and results-oriented. And, cognizant of the unique challenges social media presents.

With respect to my friend Summer Plum and local ad man Pete Marco, being a social media professional doesn’t make you a douche. Even to suggest it sounds…what’s the word?…unprofessional? Unsocial?

Maybe if more businesses took the role seriously – and measured it against business goals instead of thought leadership or followers – they wouldn’t be fish in a barrel for social media hucksters.

Editor’s Note: After some heartfelt contemplation, I’ve recognized calling out Summer and Pete was, in fact, pretty unprofessional. While I disapprove of their comments regarding social media professionals, there are better ways I could have responded. Summer, Pete…I’m sorry.

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  • http://mediaemerging.com Scott Hepburn

    Solid, practical advice as always, Mr. Griner. A good reminder that all this chest-thumping and debating is sort of irrelevant to Mr. or Mrs. Business Manager.

  • http://mediaemerging.com Scott Hepburn

    Ready, fire, aim — eternally useful!

    Actually, I'm one of those rare people who doesn't mind a little experimentation by companies curious about this stuff. Making mistakes isn't a bad thing if you learn something. Even proceeding without a game plan is okay, especially while you're learning. Heck, it's probably BETTER to delay your planning until you've dabbled a bit to understand the subject matter of your plan.

    Still, your point is valid: At some point, you've gotta progress from “Good enough” to “Thoughtfully crafted to achieve specific goals.”

  • http://mediaemerging.com Scott Hepburn

    Heh. Thanks for the community-driven moderation, Marc ;)

  • http://www.marketingprofs.com bethharte

    Love Jennifer's analogy! And it's precisely why I dislike the term “social media marketing.” [And the new one: "Social Media Relations." UGH!] Companies are lining up right and left to hire people who they believe understand Facebook, Twitter, etc. and therefore must KNOW marketing too, right?!. Puh-leeeese.

    As a Community Manager for MarketingProfs, I do use social media tools like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, our blog, etc., but I also do business development, marketing, PR (and by PR I don't mean just media relations), and all the things you list. While some might think social media is my job, I have a really hard time thinking of myself as anything other than a marketer.

    So, is social media a job?! Sure, any tactic is work. But I think until more social media folks show an understand of marketing, PR and business first…not many will respect social media as a job or career. Just my two cents…

    Beth Harte
    Community Manager, MarketingProfs
    @bethharte

  • Jennifer (Verilliance)

    Sure. Spin it however you like. :)

  • http://www.serengeticommunications.com/ bethharte

    Love Jennifer's analogy! And it's precisely why I dislike the term “social media marketing.” [And the new one: "Social Media Relations." UGH!] Companies are lining up right and left to hire people who they believe understand Facebook, Twitter, etc. and therefore must KNOW marketing too, right?!. Puh-leeeese.

    As a Community Manager for MarketingProfs, I do use social media tools like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, our blog, etc., but I also do business development, marketing, PR (and by PR I don't mean just media relations), and all the things you list. While some might think social media is my job, I have a really hard time thinking of myself as anything other than a marketer.

    So, is social media a job?! Sure, any tactic is work. But I think until more social media folks show an understand of marketing, PR and business first…not many will respect social media as a job or career. Just my two cents…

    Beth Harte
    Community Manager, MarketingProfs
    @bethharte

  • AmberNaslund

    Thanks for that, Arik. :)

  • AmberNaslund

    Scott,

    I'm late in getting over here but definitely wanted to chime in. Thankfully, many of your savvy readers have already made outstanding points, like the inimitable David Griner up there. :)

    Is social media a job? I think the better discussion is whether it's a job unto itself, or whether the real focus of social media professionals ought to be to teach folks how to make social media a part of THEIR strategy. Social media doesn't always have to be external, nor do the people using it have to use it for communication and engagement (there is tremendous value for some roles just to learn how to listen with it and never say a word in public).

    I think a strong role for social media practitioners now is to integrate social media into companies and put it on the map. Teach. Educate. Demonstrate. Will there always be social media roles? I'm not so sure; I think it'll get absorbed into larger communication, customer service, sales, R&D, HR, and product management roles. But there will always be a place and a purpose for people who know this environment intimately, not because it's about using Twitter or Facebook, but about how to mine the social web for insights and opportunities that drive business goals.

    Best,
    Amber

  • AmberNaslund

    Thanks for that, Arik. :)

  • AmberNaslund

    Thanks for that, Arik. :)

  • AmberNaslund

    Scott,

    I'm late in getting over here but definitely wanted to chime in. Thankfully, many of your savvy readers have already made outstanding points, like the inimitable David Griner up there. :)

    Is social media a job? I think the better discussion is whether it's a job unto itself, or whether the real focus of social media professionals ought to be to teach folks how to make social media a part of THEIR strategy. Social media doesn't always have to be external, nor do the people using it have to use it for communication and engagement (there is tremendous value for some roles just to learn how to listen with it and never say a word in public).

    I think a strong role for social media practitioners now is to integrate social media into companies and put it on the map. Teach. Educate. Demonstrate. Will there always be social media roles? I'm not so sure; I think it'll get absorbed into larger communication, customer service, sales, R&D, HR, and product management roles. But there will always be a place and a purpose for people who know this environment intimately, not because it's about using Twitter or Facebook, but about how to mine the social web for insights and opportunities that drive business goals.

    Best,
    Amber

  • AmberNaslund

    Scott,

    I'm late in getting over here but definitely wanted to chime in. Thankfully, many of your savvy readers have already made outstanding points, like the inimitable David Griner up there. :)

    Is social media a job? I think the better discussion is whether it's a job unto itself, or whether the real focus of social media professionals ought to be to teach folks how to make social media a part of THEIR strategy. Social media doesn't always have to be external, nor do the people using it have to use it for communication and engagement (there is tremendous value for some roles just to learn how to listen with it and never say a word in public).

    I think a strong role for social media practitioners now is to integrate social media into companies and put it on the map. Teach. Educate. Demonstrate. Will there always be social media roles? I'm not so sure; I think it'll get absorbed into larger communication, customer service, sales, R&D, HR, and product management roles. But there will always be a place and a purpose for people who know this environment intimately, not because it's about using Twitter or Facebook, but about how to mine the social web for insights and opportunities that drive business goals.

    Best,
    Amber

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