This nice No comes from recycling.stanford.eduRemember last year when we went on a mission to “Stamp Out Social Media Poseurism?”
Well, for 2011, we thought we’d shorten the list quite a bit – there are still some traits that drive us crazy, and we’d love to see these types of behaviors curbed. For instance:
Auto DMs on Twitter. Yes, we realize you like to thank us for following you. But do you have to send a message that links to some “make money on autopilot” system?
Social Media “Ninja” or “Guru” or “Rockstar.” We will keep prattling on and on about how much we dislike those terms until you, the populace, stop using them.
Anyone who has all the answers. I’d love to see someone who had all the answers last year at this time tell me that s/he can master Instagram. Or that Angry Birds is the key to any successful campaign.
Social Media “Experts” who haven’t read Groundswell. This book should be on your desk or nightstand. (If you want to argue about this book vs. Wikinomics, we’ll cut you some slack.)
Bloggers who don’t share. You know who you are – we won’t single you out. Instead, for instance…let’s point to a few who do. In 2010, we interacted with Chris Brogan, Danny Brown, Gini Dietrich, Francisco Rosales and Scott Stratten. All have blogs with tons of traffic. All could conceivably be way too busy to comment on a post of ours, or answer a Q&A, or respond to a direct message with a direct message that they obviously wrote. But all five of those did that with this little old blog here.
Autopilot Systems. If you haven’t figured out by now, this whole thing is a process. Pushbutton systems don’t work. Even the best ebooks on any social media marketing system take time to investigate the ins and outs.
So…While we didn’t stamp out Social Media Poseurs altogether in 2010, we made strides, we think.
Hi! Back in January, we said we were on a mission. Here’s a recap.
Goal: Stamp Out Social Media Poseurs in 2010.
I’m on a mission. Please join me.
You know what a “poseur” is, right? I don’t have to define it – it’s one of these things, like “art” or good graphic design. You know it when you see it; and, when you see it, in the case of Social Media Poseurism, you don’t like it.
Let’s band together to stamp out Social Media Poseurs in 2010!
If you see any of these 17 behaviors, actions or tweets — report them! Or, better yet, just stop following, unfriend them, and move on. Life’s too short.
Here’s the list:
Calling themselves a “guru.”
Calling themselves a “rock star.” (Actual rock stars may call themselves rock stars.)
Calling themselves a “ninja.”
Tweeting the same 15 things over and over again, usually from multiple accounts. [Editor’s Note: WAIT, I do that! That’s how people saw this in the first place! Must change this, STAT!]
Unable to provide an actual business case study for any social media usage – even if it’s from someone else.
Saying they were a CEO many times, as if you’re supposed to be impressed. (I’m a CEO, have been a CEO. I’m not impressed by my own title.)
100% self-serving tweets. Twitter is the closest thing to the Social Media Party that your kids warned you about. Talk WITH people.
Any automated “machine” approach to any of this SMM stuff.
Selling you Multi-Level Marketing Crap via Direct Messages or Facebook Spam.[EDITOR: I still can’t stand this stuff.]
LinkedIn LIONs who are Social Media Experts. (I have 10,000 people I’m connected to, therefore I am a Social Media Expert.)
Anyone who calls themselves a Social Media Expert. See 1, 2, and 3 above.
Anyone who has all the answers.
Unable to provide a business example where their assistance has added – be it % of sales growth or more leads or added phone calls to the call center. (Thanks, @mattdollinger.)
USING ALL CAPS TO GET THEIR POINT ACROSS.
WORSE, USING ALL CAPS IN THEIR TWITTER USER NAME. (Sorry, @CHRISVOSS, that’s a foul.) [EDITOR: Guy listed in #15 is also the mayor of a Las Vegas Arby’s on Foursquare. I gave him ribbing in the Winter, and nothing. So I’ll rib him again, with the goal of engagement.]
On the part of brands, having a “social media expert” on staff and refusing to figure out why they’re there. (Customer Service? PR? Sending out coupons? Have a point!)
Anyone who claims to be a “Word of Mouth” expert and is not using Twitter properly. By properly — at least 1000 followers, following the same number, and engaging 10x a day. Thank you.
Okay, 17 reasons could probably be 170 with a little more thinking. The point here – don’t be lame. We’re all trying to make a buck — myself included. Fine, there’s room for a good many of us to explain this Social Media Marketing landscape to those who want to learn it, have to learn it, or are somewhere in between.
Happy New Year! (Even to the Poseurs; just start being real, okay?)
