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Gavin Heaton raises an important point over on his blog: that ‘expert’ is a very meaning-ridden word.
We are living in a time where the acquisition of knowledge is occurring at ever increasing speed. Thanks to search engines like Google and to personal knowledge networks like Twitter, we can all find, relatively quickly a preliminary answer to the trickiest of problems. For example, if I want to know how to write a social media release, I will find good quality links to Todd Defren, Lee Hopkins, a case study by Geoff Livingston and even a webinar by Des Walsh. I could also comb back through my own del.icio.us bookmarks (or those of others), or I could reach out to my personal knowledge network (aka Twitter) — or just enlist the charming Connie Reece.
None of this makes me an expert.
Gavin goes on to say,
How then can I, in all honesty, advise clients/companies/ anyone about "social media"?
What I do have is experience, access to people who are way smarter than me, an openness to learning new things and an ability to bear a certain amount of risk. I try before I buy. Oh, and I have failed, and even embarrassed myself.
I claim no expertise in social media … I am continually learning too much (and working on shifting ground) to consider myself anything other than a charlatan. And I have taken the words of Connie Reece to heart — "If someone tells you they are a social media expert, run".
Now, I personally don’t agree with Connie on this point (and as Connie is a very skilfull communicator herself and one who I would call an ‘expert’ she knows that we agree to disagree on this, but still adore each other’s minds and wisdom).
I think being an ‘expert’ is no great ‘con’, as Gavin and Connie would say.
But I agree that the word ‘expert’ can be bandied about with complete abandon and recklessness of ethic.
If someone comes to you proclaiming ‘expertise’ in anything, please please please do your homework.
Read their blog (assuming they have one), listen to their podcasts, google them, find out who links to them and who they link to (who you keep company with says much about you).
And as for Gavin, I respect him immensely for both his writing skills and his honesty. He’s one of those rare folks with whom I’d enjoy sharing some of Sydney’s finest coffee.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Des Walsh 07.09.08 at 2:05 pm
I have a challenge with the “expert” tag too, but I reserve the right to see you and Gavin and Connie as experts in this field:). And each of you is “doing” social media, which I see as essential for anyone presuming to take people’s money in exchange for advice, whether as social media “expert”, or “consultant” or “strategist” (my current tag of choice for my role) or “guide” or whatever. So I thoroughly endorse your third and last paragraph.
Gavin Heaton 07.09.08 at 5:02 pm
Thanks for the write-up, Lee. Would love to meet up for a coffee next time you are in Sydney
Connie Reece 07.09.08 at 5:12 pm
How can I argue with someone who adores my mind and wisdom?
Actually, I agree that some of us have acquired a great deal of expertise in the field of social media. I exaggerate with my “run” advice for a couple of reasons. First, because the tools are changing so rapidly that it’s impossible to keep up — even for those of us who work full-time in social media.
Second, because the “snake oil salesmen” have arrived with empty promises that social media will cure all your marketing woes for the low, low price of $99 per month — literally. One of the attendees at a conference I spoke at had received a pitch from a company claiming to be experts at blogging. They would set up a blog for you and write 3 posts a week, all for $99 a month.
That goes to your point about doing your homework when looking for “experts.” And all I can say to that is, Amen.
Gavin Heaton 07.11.08 at 10:55 am
I have heard of those as well, Connie! Crazy stuff. So much for developing an “authentic” voice!
Heidi Miller 07.15.08 at 5:21 am
I’m against using the word “expert” with respect to social media, mostly because, well, it’s pretty much impossible for anyone to have more than a few years’ experience at it, isn’t it? No one is really an expert yet.
I’m a fan of being more honest with our labels: “consultant” works fine; I like “evangelist” to show passion in hopes of one day becoming an expert as well. “Guide” or “sherpa” can be a bit trite, but they get the job done.
Hmmm. Maybe “Social Media Minion”?
Lee Hopkins 07.15.08 at 5:45 am
Hmmm, thanks for weighing in Heidi (and how did the foreign trip go?).
I think that ‘consultant’ is so wishy-washy that it ranks with ‘Executive’. Every man, woman and their dog could be a ‘Digital Media Executive’ or ‘Social Media Consultant’ (most graduates straight out of uni are given this title - see below*) but the title doesn’t mean that they have expertise.
I agree that Guide and Sherpa are trite, and in an Australian context wouldn’t work.
And I agree that ‘expert’ is problematic — but who would argue that Chris Brogan and Shel Holtz *aren’t* experts? Or Scoble? Or Rubel? They use Social Media phenomenally effectively. As did Hugh Macleod for his clients. Over here in Oztrayler we have a Sydney digital media chap who uses Twitter phenomenally successfully to engage with luminaries (@JJProjects).
And again in Oz we have folks like Darren Rowse making $250k a year from blogging (problogger.net) — could we not call him an expert since he has obviously mastered what most of us would secretly love to do: earn a full-time living from this stuff and bypass the ‘Client KowTow’ and the ‘Frustrating Boss’?
* http://snipurl.com/2yjcw [www_abc_net_au]