A Day in the Life of a Social Media Expert

A quick search of the phrase “Social Media” on Indeed.com just now served up 1,923 jobs with that phrase in the title. Actual opportunities range from Social Media Managers, Coordinators, Strategists and Specialists to Social Media Community Managers. Ever wonder what these people actually do? Great news, today you’re in luck. I’m Jason Ginsburg, the Director of Digital Branding at BRANDEMiX and this is my story.

At BRANDEMiX, we teach companies how to go from Social Media Starters to Social Media Superstars, and you might say that I’m the guy that puts the star in Superstar. I’m a social media strategist and addict, plugged in to cyber conversations 24/7 and continuously working to find new ways of keeping those dialogues going, for us and for our clients.

Half of my day involves listening. I track what people are saying about the brand or company, and monitor where they’re saying them. Then I respond.

I comment on whatever is happening in the industry or region, or refer to world events, or even just the weather – sometimes just to prove that a real person is running the show. I retweet and re-post anything interesting from the incoming stream, and I’ve set up special news feeds just for relevant keywords. I express sympathy towards someone who experienced poor customer service and show encouragement if someone wants to share a video. I engage with the audience wherever its mood leads.

The conversation can be quite lively and always keeps me on my toes. When a matter gets serious, I make sure to pass it along to the client for immediate attention.

I also run the social sites for BRANDEMiX, where I discuss online branding and marketing with other professionals.

All this time, automated posts that I scheduled earlier in the week have been going out.  That’s when I go into research mode. I scour the web for the latest online trends and tools that can help connect our clients’ and employer brands with their desired audience.

This week I discovered Roost before the New York Times did. I got my Google+ invitation weeks ago. Today I’m following developments in augmented reality and watching how Chatter and Yammer are changing companies’ internal communications. I also take this time to read the smartest, most innovative blogs for inspiration.

Hold on a second- it’s time for another quick check of the livestream – I never want to let a question or complaint sit for too long.

Let’s move on to the multimedia part of my day. Some contests (we call them Sweeps) and campaigns require photos or videos, or even PowerPoint presentations. I upload media to multiple sites, tag them for the best SEO, and respond to any comments on the existing photos and videos. This week I was stymied by the inability to do a bulk upload of some pics. I expressed my frustration in the form of a tweet to the company, and in 5 minutes, I had a reply tweet that said the bulk uploader is in development. Things like that make my day.

OK- time for blogging. I create content for our clients, either consumer-facing or internal, such as an employee newsletter. After writing, it’s back to – you guessed it – the social sites, to make some final posts, follow some last links, and schedule some content for the coming days.

Despite what you’ve just read, the mercurial nature of social media ensures that no two days are the same. My success is measured in business results and I am constantly refining my strategies and tactics based on desired outcomes and pre-established objectives, whether that’s friends, fans or followers.

What else is on the horizon? Well, I can’t reveal all my secrets.

Want to know more about my exciting social media life? Connect with me at @BRANDEMiX or our Facebook page.

TALENT MANGEMENT PROFESSIONALS FALL BEHIND IN SOCIAL MEDIA USE

 
A new nationwide Social Media study reveals surprising news: Talent Management professionals have been slow to take advantage of social media in their personal lives, which may indicate a reluctance to use the same channels for business. The survey, sponsored by BRANDEMiX, was conducted last month by the New Talent Management Network, a global network of more than 2500 talent management professionals founded by consultant, author, and speaker Marc Effron.

Not surprisingly, only LinkedIn stood out among the four major social media channels. Almost half of respondents stated that they posted on the professional network “at least a few times per month,” and 39% read information posted by others “more than a few times a week.”

However, when asked if LinkedIn influenced respondents purchasing decisions, only 25% said “yes.”

More than half of respondents stated that they used Twitter either “less than once a month” or “never.” Only 8% of respondents stated that they used Twitter “to keep current on talent management trends and developments.”

Similarly, while a third of respondents read other people’s Facebook pages “more than a few times a week,” 43% posted content on their own pages “less than once a week.” Another 13% “never” posted on their own pages.

As for YouTube, though 85% of respondents reporting watching others’ videos at least once a month, that same percentage also claimed that they “never” posted their own video content on the world’s second-largest search engine.

Compared to general human resources professionals, whose use of social media to engage job applicants has been steadily increasing, talent management professionals have yet to embrace these new channels. Even those in talent management who use social media are less influenced by its content and rely on it less for information than other populations in human resources. A copy of the complete survey can be downloaded here.

Social Media Starts to Sizzle

I just wanted to express a few quick thoughts before the holiday weekend.

It’s an exciting time at BRANDEMiX. We have new projects, new clients, new staff, and a new, larger office space that’s designed for collaboration.

Things are changing in the social media world as well. Foursquare's recent partnership with American Express shows that mobile marketing has a big future. Google+ hopes to compete with Facebook at the same time that Skype, now owned by Microsoft, is integrating more closely with the social network giant. Amidst all this, MySpace’s sale to Specific Media at a $545 million loss closes a major chapter in the history of the internet.

Many of you will be enjoying the holiday weekend but still updating your Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn profiles, still checking in on Fourquare and  uploading videos to YouTube. But is it for work or pleasure? Are the borders between the two coming down?

That’s something I’ll explore in the coming weeks, along with more spotlights on Social Media Superstars. I’ll also introduce you to my own superstar, the Director of Digital Branding at BRANDEMiX.

Until then, have a happy Independence Day.