What does being a social media influencer mean?
They’re influencing people via Facebook? Or they’re influencing people about Facebook?
One issue with seeing social media as an industry (which I don’t) is this idea that you should have already heard of everything and everyone who is “an expert”. I constantly hear this from marketing colleagues and people who will soon no longer work with me:
“Do you follow Joe X?” (Joe’s name is blocked here to protect the ignorantly blissful.) And I always reply, “Who?”
This is usually followed by, “Whadya mean ya don’t know who Joe X is!?! How can you not follow Joe X?”
No, I don’t follow Joe X, and neither should you.
No offense is meant to Joe X. Joe X is probably a good writer. I see Joe X’s blog occasionally in search results and I’m usually impressed by Joe X’s writing skills and ideas. I couldn’t write as well as Joe X in a million years. I will be likely to read future posts should the subject appeal to me, or more likely, the keywords match what I am searching. But following? Nope. It’s pointless.
Who should you follow? Two Tactics:
1. Follow influential people in your industry. If you’re in retail, franchising, food services, healthcare, automotive, or any industry, there are many smart professionals with whom you should engage. Don’t worry about what they’re saying about Facebook or Twitter…pay attention to what they’re saying about retail, franchising, healthcare, etc.
2. Don’t follow any specific people; search and follow ideas!
“Be less curious about people and more curious about ideas.”
–Marie Curie
Social Geek Blog 