5 Tips to Check Expertise
Identifying the Social Media Skills to Get Business Results
If
I was going to hire a plumber, I’d want him to have a nice bathroom. Preferably indoors. I like to know that I’m on the same page as the person I’m working with. If I was building in a place requiring a septic system, I’d want a plumber who knew about septic systems. Indoors is still a requirement.
When you consider spending your hard-earned money to hire expertise, you want to know you’re getting what you paid for. Have you noticed that it’s easy to identify expertise in your own field? Can you think of one thing that is a dead giveaway that someone in your field is an amateur, or incompetent?
If I watch a dog show I spend all my time wanting to own all of the dogs. Meanwhile the dog show judges are evaluating conformation and breed standards. They do not evaluate based on cute, which is really all that I care about. If I wanted to be a dog show judge I’d have a lot to learn. Actually I’d be terrible at it, because I don’t think I’d get past cute.
Most people having a look at Social Media probably know you can check numbers of followers, but that isn’t the real measure of a successful Social Media strategy. (Learn about metrics that matter on Social here.) [link to show with angela]
Having followers is only helpful if they’re helping build your brand reputation or buying what you sell. Real success for business use of Social Media requires measurable results. If your Social Media isn’t integrated with your Search Optimization, and your entire digital footprint, then it’s not doing enough for you.
In the flocks of Twitter ‘experts’ and the mobs claiming that they’re Social Media marketers, how can you know if someone actually knows their stuff? You know how to identify an amateur or incompetent in your own area of expertise. Is there a way to ‘test’ qualifications when you are dealing with someone else’s area of expertise?
Here are five very simple and basic tests you can use to evaluate expertise in Social Media. These tests are designed for use when you aren’t an expert.
- Use Incognito search (Google or Bing)and look for the person by name. If they’re not on page one in search, why would you believe they can help you be on page one in search?
- Use Incognito search to look for the person’s company name.
- Request a client reference. Use Incognito search to find the client name. If their client is not on page one in search, why would you believe they can help you be on page one in search?
- Check their Profile on the channel you’d like to learn about. Is it complete and current? Social Media is dynamic, so what works changes a lot. Are they keeping up? On most channels you can do this by clicking on their username.
- Check their posts for engagement. Active engagement is the route to building your brand reputation. Do their posts have shares, likes and comments? Is their posting consistent and engaging? On most channels you can do this by clicking on their username.
These tips are specific to Social Media. I’m big on giving more, so here are a couple of questions that could help you evaluate any service provider you’re considering.
- What is a mistake that you’ve made and how did you fix it?
- What is a mistake that a client made and how did you help them fix it?
A little due diligence can ensure you’re getting the best expertise for your investment. If you’re going to spend your resources, especially your time, on Social, then you deserve to get results.
#MakeitMatter