It simply blows me away the number of people I meet at social/business networking gatherings who, once they find I consult on Social Media, will open up on me about what another consultant they hired a few months before told them to do online to improve their digital footing that made them look completely foolish.
Some of the things these people are saying they were told by consultants they needed to do and claimed would really work was shocking. It does confirm where what I am seeing a lot of online is coming from.
Then to find out how much they paid for the advice only to achieve just above a Spammer’s level of a reputation, was not shocking since I hear all the time what some of the big box PR firms are charging.
However, all of this ranting about how they got ‘royally’ taken advantage of is very discerning since now their impression of what I would offer and charge them to clean up their mess is based on their now unfortunate experience. This also makes it a challenge for me to clean up after someone tried to use social media strategies based on some now Old School, and sometimes ‘Black Hat’, methods of internet marketing.
Not Being Concerned is Concerning
I am really not all that surprised with the results these disgruntled business people experienced online since I see everyday others in the online social networks using the same flawed methods of self promotions.
The use of logos in the avatars; ambiguous posts on Facebook and (OMG) Twitter; overly abundant posts of Links of which over 88% of the viewers already have access to through their RSS feeds; no response to comments anywhere online; no presences of a person or anyone caring about anyone else but themselves; all are the hallmarks of what many people in the social media consultation arena are calling social networking and are offering advice on how to do to people under the pretence of feeling they are using Social Media effectively.
The most concerning thing about all these people using social media erroneously is most of them are not at all concerned how their actions online are making them look. In the many discussion..or in most cases attempts to discuss..I have had with the people happily following the advice of misguided marketing groups I find most of them use their methods because it produces what they are out to achieve which is moderate levels of recognition, large numbers of followers and in very, very few cases, a moderate level of profit.
The more intelligent of the few I have had rational conversation with will show me reports they received from their marketing firm or they found on the internet, produced by the many pundits of social media, proving what they are doing online is the acceptable method of social networking. However, it does not take them long to realize the information I provide them on how real live consumers see them online to get them to either hang-up out on me of frustration or make a dozen, or so, stutter-steps of excuses to defend the advice they received that cost them thousands of dollars and hours building online.
Oh, I have just about hear it all by now on how the internet “is a free space and if someone doesn’t like what I post they can delete me.” “I really don’t care since there are millions of others to attract to take their place.” and “I am making a lot of money in what I am doing and that is all that matters.” “I am not out to make friends, just get people to buy my product. I got plenty of real friends”. Plus the insults of “go mind your on f@#king business” also sums up the high intelligence and outstanding communication skills most of these idiots fine upstanding citizens of the the social networks demonstrate.
These small accomplishments they make financially, from their foolishness online, are their only stand on the argument they have with me (and anyone else standing around) on why they will continue to make an ass out of themselves online. This seems to be a high price they are willing to pay for what is proven, over and over, to be a short term gain and which will ruin any efforts they may have in the future to regain the consumer’s respect.
Oh there are the few and mighty who have been out here for eons who claim to be making millions which they probably are since they are making it by showing others how to “crap in their net.” However, the change in the economy and the change in the consumer’s attitude to them needing the internet for something more than playing the “Make $4k and hour” games is quickly going to force those individuals out to some corner of La-La-Land that only Mr Peabody’s Way Back Machine will take people to.
Bad Reflection
The tangible issue developing, outside of these many people online making the internet look like everyday is Aprils Fools day, is the amount of money the marketing, and so called Social Media Shops, are charging these people for the bad advice, bad web design and awful web presence. The many who I talk to who have a huge mess on their hands, as far as how their image looks online, are sometimes near bankrupt from the thousands…and many cases..tens of thousands of dollars they give these firms for social media consulting.
Needless to say..but I will..these ‘shock-rock shops’ of online marketing are making it hard for those of use who take a more logical, proven and sound approach to leading business people to learning the correct way to use the internet.
I have some acquaintances online ,who probably will not read this far into this blog ,who are really in deep with developing a rotten online image. I see their numbers and it is easy to see the game they want to play which the consumers who would make their business effort more pleasant also see the games they want to play as well. Popularity online today is judged differently than it was a few months ago.
These associates of my digital footprint who feel they are appearing grandly popular online are the prime examples of what not to do in the social networks. I point to them in each of my training sessions to being examples of what someone will look like online if they take the path of ‘carnival hawker’ on Twitter, playing ‘blind man’s bluff’ on Facebook and becoming the ‘purposeful spammer’ on LinkedIn.
The days of needing tens of thousands of unacquainted online Followers to market a product to are thankfully gone. Fortunately, the marketing firms who see the true, and changing, picture of the internet will be countering some of the out-of-line statistics being pumped out daily of alleged trends in social media usage. You can assume, since logically if nobody in your offline space is reacting to what these marketing firms are saying is the trend, that the new look, and figures associated, will show more believable approaches to promoting ones self online.
Lots of changes have been made and, as more and more people who are intolerant to the foolishness the current residence of social networks are demonstrating daily come online, many of the people who bought into bad advice will find they need to now buy into better advice. I am excited to start seeing these more conservative consumers coming online and pushing out these causing the internet to be seen as a wasteland. I see coming real soon, as a result of the savvy consumers coming online, a better place for all of us. Until then, I and those who know how to use social media effectively, have a huge mess to clean up.
Let me know how I can help.
