Will the Real Social Media Expert Please Stand Up?
Beware of the social media expert or "expert." There are thousands of marketing firms that use that word. There are just as many resumes circulating with the same claim. But in a medium like social media that changes so quickly - is anyone really expert?
Core Skills that Establish the "Real" Experts
When looking for a social media expert, we’ve found that having core marketing and communications skills are just as important as knowing what keywords get SEO. Here are three skills to look for that will heavily impact the success of your new social media role:
- Content: Your social media talent needs solid writing skills. Creative writers at heart excel at outside the box thinking while creating brand building content. But being creative without being deadline driven is a detriment. There are many great writers out there that lack the organizational skills to hit deadlines. When you find a skilled content writer with a history of self-motivation, you’ve hit pay dirt!
- Research: We search for candidates who write terrific content, but also show a history of measurable results. Every campaign needs to be tracked for ROI. Measuring social media success is difficult and time consuming – and worth it. Can your social media expert also set important campaign metrics and draft content that hits the numbers? Research helps companies stay abreast of trends across a wide subset of age brackets. What’s the hottest photo-sharing platform for millenials? What web sites are baby boomers frequenting for advice about ex-pat retirement? Your social media staffer should have a hand firmly on what’s hot – and what’s not.
- Teamwork: It may be old school, but teamwork remains one of the best skills exhibited by any creative job candidate. Even if your company is small, and your social media guru is flying solo without a creative department, his or her ability to communicate with the internal team – from salespeople to the CEO – will make or break your communications plan.
We think these are three of the top skills every social media expert needs. How do we know? We’re Artisan Talent, and we’ve been in the business of finding the best creative talent and matching them with employers since 1988. Call us today and let us connect you with real social media experts that exhibit the core skills and creative expertise to help you succeed.
