Comments on: Are You Really Ready to Offer Social Media Services?

By: Eric Lander, Associate Editor

Eric Lander, Associate Editor — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 21:57:26 +0000

Thanks for commenting Brent, I’ve long looked up to your participation in the major social networks.

I’ve chosen to delete my twitter account. With as much as I have going on, I lack the discipline to stay focused. Twitter had quickly become a recurring distraction, so I opted to remove it while I develop a stronger work ethic.

By: Brent Csutoras

Brent Csutoras — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 21:45:18 +0000

Really well thought out post. It is very much the voice that you hear when not on the panel from many folks.

I have re-written this comment like 12 times because this is a sensitive issue. I guess I would say it like this.

There is about 5 or 6 people in all of social media marketing that I would feel confident paying to services.

Thanks for the kind words and why are you no longer showing up on twitter?

By: Igor The Troll

Igor The Troll — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 12:17:52 +0000

Ask Danny Sullivan, he is a pro social media guru!

By: Tad Chef

Tad Chef — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 17:45:21 +0000

Kudos for these words of truth. Indeed I spend hours daily in social media to get in touch with the respective communities. You can’t force yourself upon people on social media. When they accept you they might be willing to visit your site.

By: Josh Garner

Josh Garner — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 16:47:34 +0000

It’s almost as if you walked through the halls of one of the companies I am involved with, looked at their “social media marketing” strategy, and blogged my thoughts. Awesome article, Eric. Awesome indeed.

By: Mark Pilatowski

Mark Pilatowski — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 13:24:46 +0000

This is a good analysis. Social Media should be its own separate offering and not bundled as part of SEO services. While it can help with SEO efforts the main focus should be on engaging your audience and becoming a valued contributer in the social media space. It can be beneficial if done correctly but when it is used as just another SEO vehicle it can look spammy and create a backlash against the organization that is viewed as attempting to manipulate the community.

By: Brian Carter

Brian Carter — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 02:00:14 +0000

Hmm we call it SMO- social media optimization. You bring up some good points. I think some discussion of the SEO implications of SMO activities is warranted- but maybe you’d still call that SEO.

How much SM activity is there in the niches people will want to manage/optimize? i.e. products and services-

The people you talk about you are SM rock stars may be great at doing it naturally, but clients want to hire someone who can do it naturally and intentionally for them. Sounds like you’re saying the SM-rock-star naturals can’t/won’t do this?