Social media professionals have to learn to work smart due to all of the information and data that they need to process on a daily basis. Here's a quick run-down how I approach content curation as part of my daily routine.
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Do social media professionals really need the characteristics of Clark Kent?
For social media professionals, it is quite an undertaking to stay current on news and headlines that affect the role. Think about it:
Social media is an Internet-based vehicle that exists in a 24/7/365 world and evolves as fast as people can type or speak their thoughts.
No matter what area of social media one might be involved in, they constantly need to be up on a wide range of news and trends.
Yes -- On local, national, and world headlines so there is an awareness of what will be social. But also on each relevant social network - for various demographics - And any tools or applications that connect with those platforms.
Not to mention the frequently rolled-out start-ups hoping to move the needle in the social space.
Earning Your "S"
A large agency, will have several tools implemented to accommodate their client base. There is most likely a systematic approach where duties are shared by more than one staff member. A small consultancy will utilize online listening tools, and may have a small staff that share duties to be aware of topics that affect their clients.
Same requirements, different way of getting things done.
How much information does a social media professional look at each day? The regular Sam or Samantha may be blown away!
I have set up a custom feed. Like my own world news channel. This includes major globally known sources, thought leaders and topic authorities, social media blogs, news for client industries, and personal interests. Each publishes at different intervals:
- Weekly.
- Daily.
- 2-3 times per day.
- 6-20 times per day.
- 50-100 times per day.
- And sometimes more.
Those publishing times will vary depending on happening news in each genre. So, if there is a big release from a major social network, like Facebook's recent conversion of Timeline for brand pages, it may be that we see information published hourly!
Using Your Superpowers
One recent morning my custom news channel offered over 500 potential articles of interest. I scanned each feed, and eliminated the irrelevant, pulled up stories that seemed like potential for sharing, skimmed again, and narrowed it down to 12 for focus. Here are the resulting topics:
- Growing a twitter following that matters.
- Facebook ad engagement down in the US.
- Kred influence rankings.
- Things to tweet about your brand.
- Effects of nurturing intelligence in children.
- LinkedIn tips for small business
- Facebook applications.
- Disney's production in China.
- Wildfire's Video Contest Capabilities.
- What to do about a Facebook page that sucks.
- Getting more visitors to your blog.
- Podcasting.
That's just the morning, just the group of topics that fit that specific AM search. I chose them for general awareness, probable updates, insight from a specific source, and personal curiosity.
Each social media professional will have their own combination of sources, and their own frequency of checking-in and processing their world of news. So if someone reviews their news three times a day, that might be as many as 1500 news bytes to monitor in a day!
Forget The Tights
One thing is certain: It's a never-ending fire hose of details! And as social media marketers, managers, and consultants, we become reporters of this news, dispersing relevant content to fans, followers, and communities.
Where previous generations would have stacks of newspapers and magazines on a coffee table, the modern-day "Clark Kent" has a number of tabs up on their browser, ready to reference. Each with a varying degree of kinetic movement.
So the next time you wonder the value of your social media manager or social media consultant, consider their "virtual phone booth" and all the things they might be doing for you that you don't see.
Chances are, they wear a big cape!
Your turn!
Are you a social media professional? How many tabs do you have up at a time?
Was there anything I forgot?
Please tell me in the comments box below...
22 Replies
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Do you think services that offer “Likes” and “followers” to inflate the number of people following their brand really affect the conversion rates of social media pages? I mean.. if i see a brand with 50k followers on Twitter, I’d be more inclined to follow it too compared to a brand which has only 50 (but authentic) followers
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Grace, You are correct that there are services out there that offer additional likes and followers. It doesn’t matter what numbers are involved, here’s the question that we all must ask: Do you want 500 fans that are interactive and sharing information about your brand? Or do you want 50,000 fans that don’t say anything? The large numbers of fans are meaningless if no one is engaged and talking. Do numbers offer some social proof, yes. But on Facebook, those “extra” fans will actually penalize you and keep you from reaching good, authentic fans. On Twitter, anyone that’s been around a few months can tell what type of tweeter a profile belongs to. My bottom line advice is: Be authentic, don’t use these services, and actually engage your audience. There IS a tipping point at which fans will attract to you, and a good number of fans/followers talking happens naturally. Thanks for asking, Grace! ~Keri
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These days social media word has become more popular in pubic. Social media networking plays an important role to increase market for any business . Therefore a large agencies and companies, will have several tools to accommodate their client base.
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Bassam, You are correct that larger agencies will have several tools. It seems the law of proportions applies even here. Thank you for sharing your thoughts! 🙂 ~Keri
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hello there and thank you for your information – I have certainly picked up anything new from right here. I did however expertise several technical points using this site, as I experienced to reload the web site many times previous to I could get it to load properly. I had been wondering if your web host is OK? Not that I am complaining, but slow loading instances times will very frequently affect your placement in google and could damage your high quality score if advertising and marketing with Adwords. Anyway I’m adding this RSS to my e-mail and could look out for a lot more of your respective fascinating content. Make sure you update this again very soon..
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Merle, Thank you for visiting my site. When you stopped by, I was having some work done on my site, and you may have experienced a hiccup. The load time has been slow, and we are working on several things under the hood over the next few weeks to improve several aspects of the site. I hope you will come back, and that I can continue to provide a credible resource for you. Thank you for your comment, ~Keri
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Very informative. I like the concept of a superhero, buy also the suggestions that allow us to take social media marketing into our hands. So helpful these days, especially when there are so many sites out there and so little time. Thanks!
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Richard, You touch on something – So much out there, and so little time! I usually come away each day with a wish list of things I want to go back and look at more closely. 🙂 Glad you found this post helpful. Thank you for sharing your thoughts, ~Keri
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I do not consider myself a social media professional (nor even an amateur), But, what you described are the activities I have been employing for more than 4 decades now- to keep current in the technical, financial, and managerial arenas. From reading Current Contents (yes, the tables of contents of [almost] every journal published in a given field (and there are multiple fields) to reading several (20+) journals a day, the web, all among others… Yes, the trick is to have a process and a routine.
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Roy, I’m impressed – Thank you for being the leader and the example! As I do not think I live up as far as tables of contents, or number of journals read, I would like to think I stay current on many topics. Thank you for noting the key: Process and routine. Glad to see your smile — Thanks for sharing your thoughts, ~Keri
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What can I say? I may not be superman but I’m giving it my best shot at being superwoman! I have two browsers open right now, but only 10 windows! LOL And it’s 11:00 p.m.! I love being in the social media niche because I love people. It never feels like “work!” What I enjoy is the ever-changing way to communicate. That’s really what it’s all about. Helping people communicate information that feels personal. Nice post!
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Martha, Thank you for sharing your browser and tab status. It’s probably pretty typical and makes me smile! 🙂 The social space is ever-changing, and we are finding more ways to make things personal. This is very cool…and you are so very good at this! Cheers to you, my fellow social media professional! ~Keri
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And what would you do if you were doing this all alone? I am “it”. I don’t even have time to search for the phone booth. Thanks for sharing what you do, Keri. Maybe some day I will have a team to help me. 🙂
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Ann, Did I say I have time to search for the phone booth???? LOLOL 😉 Teams are great, collaborators are terrific. If you are a one man/woman shop, it is not always easy, but I do recommend reaching out for strategic partners. Thanks for reading, and for your comment, Ann… ~Keri
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Keri, I learn from you all the time! Your comment to Anne Egros made me chuckle, as I do the same, chuckling at my own posts from a year ago: How quickly things in Social Media change. I admire you putting out the info regarding what you do as a social media manager. I also know that what you do and how you do it is NOT what a lot of social media mangers do. I believe your level of expertise and commitment is the cream of the crop, top 5 %, and I am thrilled for you that you are being recognized as such as we watch you guest blog on sites like Search Engine People and Social Media Examiner. Any client is lucky to get you as their consultant and manager. Dorien. PS I have anywhere from 10 to 50 tabs up, in as many as 4 different browsers!
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Dorien, Thank you for your kind words. I am lucky to be featured on Search Engine People and Social Media Today (and have high hopes yet for Social Media Examiner). I now have 4 browsers, and use all of them. Not all simultaneously, but often more than one at a time! It’s crazy, isn’t it? As the social space evolves, and the role of the community manager becomes more prevalent, we will need to be more transparent as social media professionals. Why should we keep it a secret what we do? (It’s the how that makes it our “secret sauce.”) Cheers to you, Dorien. Also a social media ace, yourself!! ~Keri
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Hi Keri, You have much more Supernatural power than being a Super reporter. What amaze me in social media professionals like you Keri is your capacity to tailor make messages to an increasingly numbers of very diverse communities. I always feel that I am special and unique when you comment my blogs or interact with me on Facebook, Obviously you have a Super Social Talent !
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Anne, You are sweet to say such things (and maybe give me too much credit). 😉 We all evolve and grow. I chuckle at my posts from a year ago. You are multi-cultural and diverse in your topics. For that I admire you. We are ALL superheroes in our own way! ~Keri
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I’m not a social media manager but I am a writer and an inbound marketing specialist. Like you my personal feed has around 1000 items in it a day to sift through to find the gems that might be of use to my audience. I do this for my writing clients as well as my inbound marketing clients to make sure that they are on the money for their content and of course for research. As to the amount of tabs I have open – well I have 5 pinned and at this moment I also have 15 others open. To get it all done and done properly you have to have an efficient process and I think that process is very different for everyone. You need to find the one that suits your way of working. I like routines, lists and schedules but I work on the move a lot so technology is key for me as well as using the Getting Things Done methodology from David Allen.
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Kittie, You put that big number up there – 1000. But it is typical, so I am hearing. The key is finding gems, as you suggest. Also interesting the number of tabs you note. Seems very usual too. Though, during times of key focus releases or hot news, I’ve had as many as 50 tabs opened. Thanks for mentioning a source that might help others – “Getting Things Done,” by David Allen. I have not read it, but probably should. Sounds like a source to read from time to time as a reminder. Thanks for reading, and for your comment, ~Keri
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