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Hello, I’m Another Social Media Expert

Posted by KJ on Jul 25th, 2010 in 2cents | View Comments

Since I joined twitter in April 2009 (thanks to Zaher who nags more than I do), I was introduced to an incredible world of up to date spam, infinite ways to spend/waste time, attention disorders and, more importantly, entrepreneurs and social media experts.

I may sound like a hypocrite as I am a heavy contributer to spam on twitter and Facebook. I do love discovering the web, bringing together photos and links I find interesting, important or funny and share them with my friends. Sometimes a bit too much during the day. I also was introduced to a bucketful of amazing people who have become my friends. And I have used the medium to promote my photo blog and this blog, which did bring in more traffic, as well as find a few freelance jobs and what not. So it isn’t all about spam, on my part of my followers’.

However, I do not claim to be a social media expert.

I do not understand why people have the notion that if they have a Facebook fan page and a twitter account for them and/or their product/corp that makes them social media experts. Funnier, still, they talk about how their business models presumably changed and share their “expertise” on the subject matter with others who also want to jump on this bandwagon.

There is much more to social media than simply opening accounts on every possible channel. Planning is involved, analytics, monitoring, “engagement”, choosing the right updates at the right time through the correct medium and such jargon an average internet user doesn’t need to be bored with. Pointing out how twitter changed the Iranian elections doesn’t make anyone a social media expert. Having a Facebook page with a portfolio of startups (that have just started) doesn’t make anyone an entrepreneur.

That’s not to say there aren’t social media experts out there amongst all the others. There are people who have a strategy, have and still are planning the paths and focus of their businesses/startups. To those, hats off to you. But if you’re selling stitched socks through twitter you’re no more of an expert than anyone else, me included, sharing links on the medium. بالعربي, مو كل مين صف الصواني .. قال أنا حلواني

http://topsy.com/blog.jarofjuice.com/2010/07/hello-im-another-social-media-expert/?utm_source=pingback&utm_campaign=L2 Tweets that mention Hello, I’m Another Social Media Expert #Entrepreneurs #SocialMedia #SocialNetworking → — Topsy.com

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Nagham, Rupert Bumfrey and Qwaider Planet, Kinan Jarjous. Kinan Jarjous said: Hello, I’m Another Social Media Expert #Entrepreneurs #SocialMedia #SocialNetworking → http://bit.ly/9R2yYd [...]
http://twitter.com/khaledmhakim khaled

I agree with every single thing you said regarding people too easily labeling themselves as experts… Not everyone who bakes a cake is a baker… The word entrepreneur has over taken the Arab world by storm… and quite frankly the more I look around, and the more I look closely, I realize that only failures, losers, half-wits, social-dropouts, exiled monkeys, and 1/2 brained bastards are the only ones keen on labelling themselves as entrepreneurs. Who in his right mind credits himself? It's just pathetic…
http://twitter.com/mkdubai Kharroubi

Case studies, case studies, case studies. That's what I would like to see from Social Media Experts in our region.
So far, all those experts do is post links to global social media news or promote their businesses on social networking sites. Not enough.
jarofjuice

True, SMEs took the promote aspect of SM without really thinking of a strategy. I am not aware of any case studies here but there might be something coming up soon. I will keep you updated on that.
jarofjuice

There is nothing wrong with starting a business and failing. It is a natural process, and a learning experience. I would be cautious though about labeling myself as an entrepreneur unless I have a solid repertoire of successful businesses. Or just one that is successful and novel would do. As for social media experts, like Kharroubi said, all they're doing now is give links to social media articles and news.
Maysaloon

حلو هل مثل
Yeah there are plenty of fluffy airheads out there who like to feel important with fancy titles like the one you mentioned. In the end of the day that kind of self importance is unsustainable.
Maysaloon

By the way what's happened to your website ya man? It looks awful!
jarofjuice

Ah you missed the decluttering process. Yes it does look more sterile now but I'm going through a phase where I can't stand clutter. So I made it post-centric and not link and graphics-centric.
jarofjuice

It's not sustainable especially when everyone wants to appear to be a more social media expert than another. So they link to more articles they probably don't read themselves. I can't tell you how many times I followed a link and it didn't really talk about social media or just a tiny aspect of it. Maybe I am wrong and I function a bit more slowly than the times. But it's like the medical boom in Syria when everyone suddenly because the best doctor in town. A few years later if you ask who is the best doctor at something, thankfully you get no more than three names.
http://twitter.com/TravellerW Mo-ha-med

That was funny! Yeah, I do know a guy who, when in between jobs, introduces himself as a 'social media consultant'.