Social Media Experts, Gurus, Consultants & Strategists

Here’s my take on the brief history of demand for social media expertise:

• Back in late 2007, proactive organizations started frantically searching for someone to help them with all this social media “stuff”. They searched for the first thing that came to their mind, “social media expert“. “Surely, there must be an expert out there” , they though.
• Then in early 2008, the real rush came in as the field became more legitimate and the term “social media consultant” emerged.
• Mid-2009 saw a sharp rise in search for the term “social media guru” as certain powerful personal brands emerged that apparently knew everything at an almost enlightening level.
• Late 2009 witnessed a demand in search for “social media strategist” , as certain people realized that the preceding three terms were often being used (with a few exceptions) by hobbyists capitalizing on this trend.

Vancouver 2010 Mobile Olympics

I love the Olympics. Besides the excitement of the actual events, I love the sense of camaraderie, national unity and general goodwill that the games bring with them. While it’s true that Vancouver has had its series of mishaps, including a tragic death, the overall spirit of the games can be felt radiating out of the homes and workplaces of our great country.

What’s really exciting about these games is that they mark a new era of interaction and engagement during a global sporting event. I remember only having two options as a kid during past Olympics: watch a select few live events on TV (time-zone permitting) or listen to them on the radio. The rest I would pick up on during the evening news or the next morning’s paper.

2009 Social Media User Segments

A while back I read the book “Groundswell” by Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff from Forrester Research. I was very impressed at the time, with what seemed to be the most comprehensive analysis of social media user segments available, explained very nicely in a book. I have since used many of their graphs and diagrams in my presentations, however I always wished that there was a better way to use their research. Naturally, this goldmine of data was bound to evolve into something more interactive, customizable and useful for people actually trying to apply it. Enter the Consumer Profile Tool (below), now with 2009 data, including Canadian statistics!