Social media snake oil
There’s a standing mantra among healthcare marketing consultants and those who follow social media closely: “If someone refers to themselves as a social media expert, run to the hills.” This is driven by the idea that social media is so new, and so little is actually known about its long-term impact, that very few if any social media marketers could have obtained enough experience to claim the title “expert.”
In general, this seems like a pretty fair assessment, though certainly expertise concerning social media varies greatly, falling along a scale from “luddite” to “multiple social media efforts led and measured.” And there are many odd twists to the question of expertise as well. For example, there are a class of folks who seem to believe that simply by using social media, they then have the the proper credentials to drive organizational strategy, or sell consulting services in this area. And while it would seem impossible for someone to lead a social media effort without actually using the tools themselves, being a user does not equate to strategic or even tactical expertise. Just because I watch a lot of TV doesn’t make me a great television producer or screenwriter, yes?
The latest issue of BusinessWeek has a great article on the growing backlash against social media consultants and “experts.” The title – “Beware social media snake oil” – pretty much speaks for itself. Perhaps the best insight comes from James Cooper, who serves as digital creative director at Saatchi & Saatchi, a global ad agency. Cooper states that anyone who unequivocally claims that using social media will work is either “lying or deranged.” His point is that the medium is still too young to guarantee results, and he likens the innovative nature of social media to that of venture capital, where 1 out of 10 bets might pay off, while the others fail completely. He also worries about how results are measured:
“If something’s got 20 million hits on YouTube, that’s a good thing. But what if half the comments are negative? I don’t think anyone’s got a long-term case study yet.”
Social media offers potential opportunities to hospitals and other providers in the areas of brand building, customer service, marketing, public/community relations and more. But the jury is still out on whether in the end all of the hoopla and effort will pay off in material ways from a long-term perspective.
Of course, that’s no reason to drop or minimize social media as a marketing/communications tool. It just means healthcare marketers need to go into the effort with eyes wide open. Social media should still be considered an innovative strategy, and with innovation goes the understanding that failure is sometimes an accepted part of the game.
Have you been pitched by a “social media expert”? How do you determine someone’s credentials with such a new medium? Are you OK with “failing” in order to learn what works and what doesn’t?
- Published: December 9, 2009
- Filed under: Measurement, Social Media, Strategy, Trends