A lot of people out there really want to work in Social Media. But do they really know what that means?
Scour Twitter for 20 minutes and you will come across more experts, gurus, ninjas, and rockstars than you ever thought was possible. No other position has so many ridiculous titles and people who are so sure of their value.
Working in Social Media can mean a lot of things to a lot of people, here’s a distinction though: There are those that work as Social Media professionals and those that use Social Media.
To me this is the distinction.
Just because your boss has you updating the Facebook fan page doesn’t mean you “work in Social Media,” in the same way that sending emails on behalf of your boss doesn’t mean you “work in email.” Working in Social Media everyday doesn’t just mean that you update Twitter and Facebook. It doesn’t just mean that you know MySpace is doomed or can regurgitate that Geo-Location will be big.
You want the big bucks? You want the spiffy title? You have to step your game up and you have to be clear about what this role is all about: RESULTS! Being a Social Media professional means that you are an executive, strategist, coach, speaker and thought leader (not just a follower).
Tweeting is not a strategy. Having a Facebook Page is not a goal (at least not a very good one).
You are dealing with executives and your value statement cannot just be “you get to be part of the conversation.” Go the next step, stop just using Social Media and start influencing how people use it.