Expert Tips for Those Who Want To Pursue a Career as a Social Media Consultant
Search any major search engine for "social media consultant" or "social media expert" and you'll be bombarded with millions of results. Social media consulting is becoming increasingly popular as a career choice as companies and organizations strive to stay visible online. Many companies don't know how to incorporate social media into their corporate culture and this is where social media consultants come in. While there are many people who claim to be social media experts, a lot of them lack valuable social media marketing experience. The ease of social networking and publishing with blogs makes many people appear to be more qualified than they really are. Those who want to get into the field of social media consulting should first learn what it takes to stand apart from the rest in this field. They should be knowledgeable in SEO, social content planning, social content promotion, social network research and development, and social monitoring. As a consultant, you can offer business social media with impact. If you want to get into social media consulting and be good at it, follow these expert tips:
Know Your SEO The best social media campaign can fail to be effective if lost in the web. More and more companies are looking for social media experts with SEO (search engine optimization) experience who will be able to perform social media optimization. Having SEO experience helps you to give companies maximum exposure through natural, organic, and free mediums. This increased exposure helps companies to decrease their marketing expenditures and increase their profit margins. Maintain A Blog and Become Active On Social Media To be a successful social media consultant, you must have a blog and be active on social media. Companies are more willing to hire social media experts with active blogs and a strong social media presence as they feel that they are more credible. Potential clients who see that you've gained influence and built a platform on your own accounts will be more willing to let you manage their accounts. Document your experience in your blog or personal site as this will help clients to see what you have to offer. Follow like-minded people on popular social networks like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest and StumbleUpon and engage actively in conversations. Participate offline in networks that are important to your area of focus such as geographic areas or certain industries. This will help you to build a strong platform before you start your social media consulting career. Stay Current Social media consulting and social media are ever-growing fields. They undergo constant changes and developments every couple of days. Stay current by reading cutting-edge sites that keep you in the know and up-to-date. LifeHacker and Mashable are two top websites that offer great advice about social media, social media consulting, tech consulting, and digital life. Use Existing Relationships Interact actively with people in your social network accounts as they may become your potential clients or give you referrals. Have many friends in all the accounts and reach out to influential people on those networks. Make it clear that you are a social media consultant looking for work and show examples of what you can do. You can even start marketing a personal site or offer pro bono consultancy services to a small business or non-profit organization in the beginning. |
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