The types of social media specialists

Over the last few weeks, I've sat in a bunch of meetings social media and marketing where the skill set of social media specialists have been a hot topic. There is so much debate about it is because there are so many different types of people, of widely varying experience, who can occupy social media marketing agency positions with a social media remit. On the back of these discussions, and to help organize my thoughts on the subject, I figured it might be useful to try and classify the different types of social media consultants as well as the pros and cons of each. It is difficult to categorize these types without making some generalizations that may not capture the more diverse skills of some of the especially talented and experienced people social media marketing company out there. So, please take with a pinch of salt and help evolve and add to the categories via the comments section at the end. Social media specialist with a communications background This type of consultant typically has a communications degree and has spent a bit of time in a PR-style social media marketing plan template function. Usually, the communications-shaped social media consultant has adapted quickly to the explosion of social media and has improved his or her knowledge/skillset in the area of online self-publishing and the creative use of digital assets. Pros: A communications background helps these consultants provide advice about the potential pitfallssocial media marketing world of over-zealous social media activity and are well equipped to construct strategies that enable sustainable long-term relationships with online participants/influencers. Cons: Not a specialist in things like media buying, search engine optimization (SEO), digital design, and utility development. This may limit the person’s view of what is possible. Social media specialist with a digital background This type of consultant has the ability to see what can be built to capture the attention of online participants social media marketing tips and often focuses strongly on campaigns. Pros: Understanding technology and digital trends can lead to the creation of solutions and platforms that can change the way a organization interacts with its stakeholders. Cons: The production focus can sometimes lead to a shortfall in understanding how to get people to engage beyond a bells-and-whistles solution. Social media specialist with a SEO background This type of social media marketing tools consultant can look at social media from a very specific entry point, especially in relation to the visibility that can be created by well-resourced social media activity. Pros: Understanding search habits and how to optimize content for visibility and interaction means online reputation management can be activated on a large marketing social media scale. It can also lead to the development of solutions that consultants from other disciplines may not consider, such as using a pay-per-click campaign to reach online participants who may be vocal in benefits of social media marketing the social space. Cons: Content created by SEO experts can sometimes be developed with a quality first, quantity second mentality to tick the ever-changing Google algorithm boxes. They may also not focus on developing genuine relationships with influencers as the focus can be weighted towards reaching using social media for marketing them en mass.

Social media specialist with an advertising background

The social media specialist with an advertising background can often social media marketing strategies develop the most creative and buzz-worthy solutions. Pros: The big budgets often find their way into advertising teams first, so creating big campaigns with social value should be a cornerstone of this type of specialist. Cons: The campaign focus can often mean the important post-campaign phase isn social media marketing manager't considered. Additionally, the focus on creating big explosions may alienate the people who the campaign relies on because they haven't been considered until they are required. Social media specialist with a direct marketing background Direct marketers have a lot of experience in communicating directly with people as opposed to going via third parties. They also understandmarketing with social media the importance of encouraging and facilitating loyalty. Pros: Probably very solid at interpreting data and developing incentive-based activity to build audiences and communities. Cons: Potentially not equipped to generate content strategies that rely on participation as opposed to one-way delivery. The native social media specialists This person is likely to be a little younger and may have studied something more traditional, but social media marketing softwaregot their first job in a social media style role. Pros: Social media is second nature and online participation habits can lead to socially shaped solutions. Cons: Experience may be an issue, especially in dealing with challenges that derive from crisis management scenarios. The integrated social media specialist This person is not only rare, but also in very high demand. While her or her career may have started in one of the places listed above how to use social media for marketing this social media specialist has spent a lot of time working across each of the disciplines to be able to provide the most complete advice possible. Quite possibly, this person might be someone who has worked in the online communications space for a number of years and has evolved as the online space has social media marketing courses evolved. Pros: Self explanatory, but more than anything a person with this skill set can help organizations become more social as opposed to just helping them “do” social well. Cons: Not many, but may find it difficult to stay on top social media marketing b2b of the nuances associated with every platform because he or she is doing the actual work on those sites. Which one is right for your organization? This entirely depends on the purpose of the role in question, and, to a degree, what you are willing to pay. In an agency environment, your client base might require someone who can augment the skill social media marketing for small businessset that exists or challenge the status quo. In a brand or business environment, corporate reputation might be the priority. Eventually, the senior social media people within smart organizations will be a hybrid of all the disciplines, but it takes a lot of time and exposure to responsibilities beyond the traditional job description to achieve this. It will also take some uncomfortable growing pains as social media marketing job description mistakes are often made when adding strings to a bow. There are probably a few more iterations of the types featured here, but this hopefully provides some context if you happen to get into one of “those” marketing and social mediaconversations.

Universities Use Social Networks to Engage Community

As a result, they've built a loyal, engaged audience. They've shown social media marketing salary students that they'll respond to their questions and concerns. And they've mobilized their community.Students, alumni and potential college students network socially every day. They're on Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare. And they're talking about you. That's right, you. These social media marketing statistics conversations about your university are going on with or without you. So you should jump into the conversation and start shaping it, advises Michael Kaltenmark, director of Web marketing and communications at Butler University.Check out how Butler and three other universities join the conversation, create a team, show their personality, provide customer service and mobilize their audience. RELATED Community top social media marketing companies Colleges Make Social Media a Priority Join the conversatio University of Wisconsin-Madison About two years ago, the chancellor at University of Wisconsin-Madison developed a campus initiative that needed student support. But social media connections with students were almost nonexistent. While the university had a Twitter account, it streamed social media marketing training nothing but news content. "At that point, we realized we needed to make more meaningful connections to folks," said John Lucas, university relations specialist and institutional social media manager. Lucas started managing the Twitter account and promoting the campus initiative, which social media marketing classes succeeded. And once the university saw that success, the administration realized how instrumental social media could become on a number of different levels. “We had been on Facebook and YouTube and Flickr and those for a while," Lucas said, "but I’d say Twitter in particular really helped us kind of open up to a philosophy of sustained engagement with our community.” The communications social media marketing news staff members at both University of Wisconsin-Madison and Marquette University in Milwaukee run the major social networking properties for their universities. And they view social media as an extension of their jobs. Marquette University Marquette adapts different platforms, different audiences and different means to accomplish its goals, said Tim Cigelske, communication specialist. "You just really have to understand and use the mediums for what they have to offer instead of just treating them like an email social media marketing network or a press release or anything else you might be doing,” Cigelske said. Like other universities, Marquette has major umbrella accounts run by communications staff, but also has specific accounts that departments and colleges run. For example, the admissions group starts a Facebook group each year for incoming freshmen. In that group, they can ask questions about campus life and admissions. And admissions counselors, current students and tour guides answer them. A couple admissions counselors respond, even late at night and on weekends. And their efforts have made an impact. One of the counselors has reached rock star status with incoming students. When the students she interacts with on Facebook come to campus for marketing through social media orientation and registration, they want to take a picture with her. And they send her messages saying that they were intimidated and scared. But she made the admissions process fun. Butler University When universities join social networks, they have to put themselves in the audience's shoes, said Kaltenmark from Butler University in Indianapolis. Ask yourself, "What social media marketing certification does our audience want to know or hear about?" Then give it to them. And at the same time, you need to show personality and take the time to read and respond to what people say. That's way more effective than spewing out spam or shoving press releases down their throat. “If you’re not social media marketing consultant conversational, you’re just going to get overlooked," Kaltenmark said.