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://doughaslam.com doughaslam

    Scott, nice topic. Is social media a job? I agree with you. Some will argue that “social media jobs” themselves are a bit of a stretch, but for now I think we will see a short boom in social-media specific jobs as companies get more involved- before those functions get absorbed into the appropriate departmental jobs.

    So yes, social media is work- and I believe that will be reflected in the short-term job market

  • rickliebling

    Good stuff Scott. From that list I think the most important, and perhaps most difficult, is “Make a clear connection between social media activity and business goals.” I've seen many firsthand examples of brands that want to be involved in Social Media, but don't really know why, or for what purpose. That's a recipe for disappointment and frustration.

  • http://blog.vovici.com Jeffrey Henning

    I have to disagree with Doug. I don't think this is a transitional role–I think this is the beginning of a new class of marketing specialist that will be with us for decades to come. Other professionals in a company will dabble, but these specialists will do the hard work day in, day out.

  • http://www.donmartelli.com Don Martelli

    Nice work Scott. Popularity is one thing, but being able to connect the business dots truly makes you a “guru” or social media “expert” as the cool kids are called.

  • brainzooming

    You're absolutely right Scott that a strategic perspective is the foundation for a social media effort that can have a sustaining impact.

    At a B2B social media discussion a couple of weeks ago, it was apparent from the questions of “where” social media should be “owned” that these major B2B brands were struggling with the idea that social media responsibility doesn't fit nicely into a box on today's org charts.

    Stepping back from the roundtable discussion, I forced myself into three criteria which seem to be necessary for people that take on social media responsibilities in corporations:

    1) Ability to always be on message for the brand, which implies effectively linking brand strategy to messaging
    2) Appropriate sensibilities for social media channels
    3) Diverse communication skills that work across various social media channels

    Sometimes those people are in marketing communications, but you may find them in other part of the company as well.

  • http://www.mackcollier.com/ mack collier

    BTW Scott one of the things that get overlooked the most often is, you have to understand how to be SOCIAL with PEOPLE. I've seen some people using social media that simply have poor social skills, and as a result, they don't communicate very well with others.

    Social media in the hands of people that aren't good communicators and that don't really care about connecting with people, isn't going to work. No matter what the person's level of knowledge of said tools/tactics is.

  • mikepascucci

    Seems to come down to the same old question, Quality vs Quantity.
    The Experienced vs. the Snake oil salesman – (I loved that video)
    It is more than a job, it is a gut feeling that you have when you are forced to make a decision, know what the numbers are telling you, but know that you have to go the other way based on your gut. You have to think outside of the box for each and every interaction that you have, because Social Media success can not be plugged into the same formula for everyone, and generate a successful outcome. The formula depends on many external forces that need to be taken into account before you can move ahead.

  • http://imiphotography.com Andy Ciordia aka Ciordia9

    Sales & Marketing are also not jobs. ;) Let's go further, who needs engineers and product developers.. Oh even further.. managers and executives, so over-rated.

    Nice coverage. It's like net-literacy. Some people read, comprehend, others skim and make assertions based on what they think they read. You can't change everyones opinions, just continue allying yourself with those who know it makes sense.

  • http://twitter.com/SummerPlum Summer

    Wow, my little joke hit sore spot eh?

    For what it's worth, since you called me out, I agree with you. I would never let someone I didn't trust touch the social media for my business and all the work involved has become too much for me to handle on my own because I'm busy running my business. Because it is hard work that needs to be done by someone who has the time, energy and ability to track it all.

    As a professional marketer in the past and a business owner now, I think that a lot of businesses don't understand the importance of this. It is a specialty, and one the many people could use. I talk to other small business owners who have no clue… and it makes me frustrated for them.

  • arikhanson

    Mack: I stand by an axiom I heard a while back (can't remember who said it first): Social Media just accentuates who you are in real life. If you're outgoing and personable in life, you're going to come across even more outgoing online (case in point: Amber Naslund). If you're a jerk in person, you're probably an a**hole on Twitter. The lesson, as you've stated: Be careful who's representing your brand online and don't turn the car keys over to just any old “expert.”

    Scott: The thing that sticks out to me here is the business side of the equation. Any “consultant” can work with an organization to set up the requisite social media accounts. But, how does what you're doing online integrate with what you're doing in a traditional marketing sense? How does it tie to your business? How does it help solve your customer's problems? Those are the real questions. And, the ones that often go unanswered–and unasked, unfortunately.

    @arikhanson

  • Jennifer (Verilliance)

    What people mean by this, I suppose, is that there's no real skill or talent involved in being a Social Media consultant. When I suspect this is what's happening, I ask them, “Do you watch TV?” When they reply “yes”, I ask, “Have you been watching TV for years?”. Again, they say yes. “Do you watch TV pretty well?” Responses here vary depending on whether or not they are beginning to see my point. Finally I ask them if all this TV watching has made them qualified to make winning television commercials (never mind any other element of television, such as filming, directing, writing, etc.).

    This line of questioning doesn't finish the job of convincing them that “Social Media” is a legitimate job, but they do see my point and are then open to looking at this in a different way. Clears the deck so to speak.

  • http://twitter.com/creative_type The Creative Type

    “Should we do away with the Communications department…after all, everyone communicates, right?”

    I couldn't agree more! Over the years, I've grappled with this mentality in numerous organizations … everyone reads, writes and speaks English, so there's no need to hire someone specifically to do that. How can that be a “job” when everyone already does it automatically?

    But that's exactly the issue: doing it “automatically” means you're not putting much thought into what you're saying, who you're saying it to and how it comes across. Communicating effectively — regardless of the media or platform involved — requires a specific skill set (and personality!) and is just as legitimate a “job” as sales, engineering or business development.

  • http://www.thesocialpath.com DavidGriner

    You know that expression “work expands to fit the time allowed”? In the case of social media, I think that's not only true, it's also a good thing.

    Companies always ask me how much staffing it takes to manage social media. The answer is “as much as you're willing to commit,” with the recognition that the rewards will also be tethered to your level of involvement.

    Can social media be one bullet point, a 4-hour-a-week commitment on someone's job description? Sure. Could it be a 50-hour-a-week position unto itself? Absolutely. Chances are, most organizations will start somewhere between those two and work their way up as the results become apparent.

  • http://twitter.com/jaredroy jared roy
  • mrhames

    More than a decade ago, brands had to have a website. They didn't know why, they just had to have a website (their competition had one). So they hired programmers who knew how to use this newfangled hammer, but they didn't really think through the whys. And in a twist that always bugged me, they didn't hire copywriters to write websites.

    Not many people really thought about the bullet points you listed above when doing their new site. They just did it.

    And here we are again, with people just doing it. Your list should be used for everyone, but it isn't. Especially when companies turn to the “I 5 digit followers on Twitter” to launch social media campaigns.

    A website is a marketing tool. A social media campaign should be too.

  • http://twitter.com/Marc_Meyer Marc Meyer

    @Scott. Not only is it a job. It's work and it's labor.
    @Arik Ive always told people that the way you are on the basketball court or golf course is probably the way you are off the court too. So you're right. Offline can and often does mirror online.
    @David There is not enough time to do what needs to be done ever..It's endless
    @Jared Where can you be found on the social web?

  • http://doughaslam.com doughaslam

    Scott, nice topic. Is social media a job? I agree with you. Some will argue that “social media jobs” themselves are a bit of a stretch, but for now I think we will see a short boom in social-media specific jobs as companies get more involved- before those functions get absorbed into the appropriate departmental jobs.

    So yes, social media is work- and I believe that will be reflected in the short-term job market

  • rickliebling

    Good stuff Scott. From that list I think the most important, and perhaps most difficult, is “Make a clear connection between social media activity and business goals.” I've seen many firsthand examples of brands that want to be involved in Social Media, but don't really know why, or for what purpose. That's a recipe for disappointment and frustration.

  • http://blog.vovici.com Jeffrey Henning

    I have to disagree with Doug. I don't think this is a transitional role–I think this is the beginning of a new class of marketing specialist that will be with us for decades to come. Other professionals in a company will dabble, but these specialists will do the hard work day in, day out.

  • http://www.donmartelli.com Don Martelli

    Nice work Scott. Popularity is one thing, but being able to connect the business dots truly makes you a “guru” or social media “expert” as the cool kids are called.

  • brainzooming

    You're absolutely right Scott that a strategic perspective is the foundation for a social media effort that can have a sustaining impact.

    At a B2B social media discussion a couple of weeks ago, it was apparent from the questions of “where” social media should be “owned” that these major B2B brands were struggling with the idea that social media responsibility doesn't fit nicely into a box on today's org charts.

    Stepping back from the roundtable discussion, I forced myself into three criteria which seem to be necessary for people that take on social media responsibilities in corporations:

    1) Ability to always be on message for the brand, which implies effectively linking brand strategy to messaging
    2) Appropriate sensibilities for social media channels
    3) Diverse communication skills that work across various social media channels

    Sometimes those people are in marketing communications, but you may find them in other part of the company as well.

  • http://www.mackcollier.com/ mack collier

    BTW Scott one of the things that get overlooked the most often is, you have to understand how to be SOCIAL with PEOPLE. I've seen some people using social media that simply have poor social skills, and as a result, they don't communicate very well with others.

    Social media in the hands of people that aren't good communicators and that don't really care about connecting with people, isn't going to work. No matter what the person's level of knowledge of said tools/tactics is.

  • http://mikepascucci.com/ Mike P

    Seems to come down to the same old question, Quality vs Quantity.
    The Experienced vs. the Snake oil salesman – (I loved that video)
    It is more than a job, it is a gut feeling that you have when you are forced to make a decision, know what the numbers are telling you, but know that you have to go the other way based on your gut. You have to think outside of the box for each and every interaction that you have, because Social Media success can not be plugged into the same formula for everyone, and generate a successful outcome. The formula depends on many external forces that need to be taken into account before you can move ahead.

  • http://blog.nuancelabs.com Andy Ciordia aka Ciordia9

    Sales & Marketing are also not jobs. ;) Let's go further, who needs engineers and product developers.. Oh even further.. managers and executives, so over-rated.

    Nice coverage. It's like net-literacy. Some people read, comprehend, others skim and make assertions based on what they think they read. You can't change everyones opinions, just continue allying yourself with those who know it makes sense.

  • http://twitter.com/SummerPlum Summer

    Wow, my little joke hit sore spot eh?

    For what it's worth, since you called me out, I agree with you. I would never let someone I didn't trust touch the social media for my business and all the work involved has become too much for me to handle on my own because I'm busy running my business. Because it is hard work that needs to be done by someone who has the time, energy and ability to track it all.

    As a professional marketer in the past and a business owner now, I think that a lot of businesses don't understand the importance of this. It is a specialty, and one the many people could use. I talk to other small business owners who have no clue… and it makes me frustrated for them.

  • http://www.arikhanson.com Arik Hanson

    Mack: I stand by an axiom I heard a while back (can't remember who said it first): Social Media just accentuates who you are in real life. If you're outgoing and personable in life, you're going to come across even more outgoing online (case in point: Amber Naslund). If you're a jerk in person, you're probably an a**hole on Twitter. The lesson, as you've stated: Be careful who's representing your brand online and don't turn the car keys over to just any old “expert.”

    Scott: The thing that sticks out to me here is the business side of the equation. Any “consultant” can work with an organization to set up the requisite social media accounts. But, how does what you're doing online integrate with what you're doing in a traditional marketing sense? How does it tie to your business? How does it help solve your customer's problems? Those are the real questions. And, the ones that often go unanswered–and unasked, unfortunately.

    @arikhanson

  • Jennifer (Verilliance)

    What people mean by this, I suppose, is that there's no real skill or talent involved in being a Social Media consultant. When I suspect this is what's happening, I ask them, “Do you watch TV?” When they reply “yes”, I ask, “Have you been watching TV for years?”. Again, they say yes. “Do you watch TV pretty well?” Responses here vary depending on whether or not they are beginning to see my point. Finally I ask them if all this TV watching has made them qualified to make winning television commercials (never mind any other element of television, such as filming, directing, writing, etc.).

    This line of questioning doesn't finish the job of convincing them that “Social Media” is a legitimate job, but they do see my point and are then open to looking at this in a different way. Clears the deck so to speak.

  • http://twitter.com/creative_type The Creative Type

    “Should we do away with the Communications department…after all, everyone communicates, right?”

    I couldn't agree more! Over the years, I've grappled with this mentality in numerous organizations … everyone reads, writes and speaks English, so there's no need to hire someone specifically to do that. How can that be a “job” when everyone already does it automatically?

    But that's exactly the issue: doing it “automatically” means you're not putting much thought into what you're saying, who you're saying it to and how it comes across. Communicating effectively — regardless of the media or platform involved — requires a specific skill set (and personality!) and is just as legitimate a “job” as sales, engineering or business development.

  • http://www.thesocialpath.com DavidGriner

    You know that expression “work expands to fit the time allowed”? In the case of social media, I think that's not only true, it's also a good thing.

    Companies always ask me how much staffing it takes to manage social media. The answer is “as much as you're willing to commit,” with the recognition that the rewards will also be tethered to your level of involvement.

    Can social media be one bullet point, a 4-hour-a-week commitment on someone's job description? Sure. Could it be a 50-hour-a-week position unto itself? Absolutely. Chances are, most organizations will start somewhere between those two and work their way up as the results become apparent.

  • http://twitter.com/jaredroy jared roy
  • mrhames

    More than a decade ago, brands had to have a website. They didn't know why, they just had to have a website (their competition had one). So they hired programmers who knew how to use this newfangled hammer, but they didn't really think through the whys. And in a twist that always bugged me, they didn't hire copywriters to write websites.

    Not many people really thought about the bullet points you listed above when doing their new site. They just did it.

    And here we are again, with people just doing it. Your list should be used for everyone, but it isn't. Especially when companies turn to the “I 5 digit followers on Twitter” to launch social media campaigns.

    A website is a marketing tool. A social media campaign should be too.

  • http://twitter.com/Marc_Meyer Marc Meyer

    @Scott. Not only is it a job. It's work and it's labor.
    @Arik Ive always told people that the way you are on the basketball court or golf course is probably the way you are off the court too. So you're right. Offline can and often does mirror online.
    @David There is not enough time to do what needs to be done ever..It's endless
    @Jared Where can you be found on the social web?

  • http://mediaemerging.com Scott Hepburn

    Thanks, Don.

    Since we tend to get skittish about terms like “expert” in this field, I've been toying with a new concept: “Expert” is relative.

    If you're a complete newbie and your intern can teach you the 101 of various social media platforms, then, in your eyes, they are an expert. Or they have expertise, at least.

    We get so hung up on “Is there such thing as an SM expert or isn't there?” What defines an expert? Is there a minimum threshold? Could anyone possibly have achieved that threshold in a field that is still just emerging?

    Rather than worrying about whether such an absolute level exists and whether anyone has reached it, we ought to focus on “expertise.” The beauty of a relative measurement like that is it says “You know more than me, and I'm willing to learn.” It also implies the more experienced practitioner is willing to teach.

    Aren't those two things what we really need in this arena right now?

  • http://mediaemerging.com Scott Hepburn

    You're spot on about the struggle to fit social media into an existing box on the org chart. It doesn't fit neatly into any of them, and thinking solely of the org chart as it looks today results in turf wars and fights for ownership.

    I think ALL departments can (and should) use the TOOLS of social media, but that someone needs to provide overarching guidance, direction, coordination and stewardship. Whether that person is in Corp Comm or another department, I'm not sure. As long as companies recognize the need for someone to provide leadership across the enterprise, they'll be okay.

  • http://mediaemerging.com Scott Hepburn

    It's a good point, Mack. An intriguing counterpoint to the “Everyone can/should do social media” argument. “Be your authentic self” sounds lovely, but some people are at their best behind the scenes.

  • http://mediaemerging.com Scott Hepburn

    Legendary football coach Bill Parcells always said “Players play and coaches coach.” There's room for generalists AND specialists…each needs the other.

    Good points, Andy.

  • http://mediaemerging.com Scott Hepburn

    Good points, Arik. I think the most important role of a social media strategist (specialist? consultant? director?) is to answer the questions you raised.

    You're exactly right: Anyone can set up accounts/profiles. And anyone can use those tools to utter a message to the world. The true value of a social media director isn't in doing those things, but in finding the people within your organization who can contribute.

    By aligning strategy with business goals, choosing best-fit tactics, identifying the spaces where customers engage online, and coaching team members on how to participate, a social media strategist rises above the sheer mechanics of social media user. It takes a specific and uncommon skill set to be able to do that.

  • http://mediaemerging.com Scott Hepburn

    Fascinating analogy, Jennifer. Can I borrow that?

  • http://mediaemerging.com Scott Hepburn

    Communicating EFFECTIVELY…that's the real nut of this, isn't it? Results, results, results. Thanks for bringing that to the surface!

  • 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 ;)

  • Jennifer (Verilliance)

    Sure. Spin it however you like. :)

  • http://mediaemerging.com Scott Hepburn

    Thanks, Don.

    Since we tend to get skittish about terms like “expert” in this field, I've been toying with a new concept: “Expert” is relative.

    If you're a complete newbie and your intern can teach you the 101 of various social media platforms, then, in your eyes, they are an expert. Or they have expertise, at least.

    We get so hung up on “Is there such thing as an SM expert or isn't there?” What defines an expert? Is there a minimum threshold? Could anyone possibly have achieved that threshold in a field that is still just emerging?

    Rather than worrying about whether such an absolute level exists and whether anyone has reached it, we ought to focus on “expertise.” The beauty of a relative measurement like that is it says “You know more than me, and I'm willing to learn.” It also implies the more experienced practitioner is willing to teach.

    Aren't those two things what we really need in this arena right now?

  • http://mediaemerging.com Scott Hepburn

    You're spot on about the struggle to fit social media into an existing box on the org chart. It doesn't fit neatly into any of them, and thinking solely of the org chart as it looks today results in turf wars and fights for ownership.

    I think ALL departments can (and should) use the TOOLS of social media, but that someone needs to provide overarching guidance, direction, coordination and stewardship. Whether that person is in Corp Comm or another department, I'm not sure. As long as companies recognize the need for someone to provide leadership across the enterprise, they'll be okay.

  • http://mediaemerging.com Scott Hepburn

    It's a good point, Mack. An intriguing counterpoint to the “Everyone can/should do social media” argument. “Be your authentic self” sounds lovely, but some people are at their best behind the scenes.

  • http://mediaemerging.com Scott Hepburn

    Legendary football coach Bill Parcells always said “Players play and coaches coach.” There's room for generalists AND specialists…each needs the other.

    Good points, Andy.

  • http://mediaemerging.com Scott Hepburn

    Good points, Arik. I think the most important role of a social media strategist (specialist? consultant? director?) is to answer the questions you raised.

    You're exactly right: Anyone can set up accounts/profiles. And anyone can use those tools to utter a message to the world. The true value of a social media director isn't in doing those things, but in finding the people within your organization who can contribute.

    By aligning strategy with business goals, choosing best-fit tactics, identifying the spaces where customers engage online, and coaching team members on how to participate, a social media strategist rises above the sheer mechanics of social media user. It takes a specific and uncommon skill set to be able to do that.

  • http://mediaemerging.com Scott Hepburn

    Fascinating analogy, Jennifer. Can I borrow that?

  • http://mediaemerging.com Scott Hepburn

    Communicating EFFECTIVELY…that's the real nut of this, isn't it? Results, results, results. Thanks for bringing that to the surface!

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