The difference between a social media marketing expert and a social media expert

In today's business world, hiring a social media expert is a tempting way to gain new insight into consumer trends and broaden a company's reach into its niche market. There are a lot of misconceptions as to what qualities a social media expert has and how to identify candidates who are just boasting of an extensive knowledge on how to tweet or blog.

The social media marketing field is very new to many businesses. A common mistake many companies make is hiring an employee based on her knowledge of social media. Just because someone knows the ins and outs of procuring followers and fans does not mean she knows the first thing about marketing to them.

To put it into perspective, many comedic Twitter accounts garner thousands of followers, but what do they get out of it? Nothing. Social media can be a very effective tool to reach out to consumers, but it is only the gateway. The real trick is turning each fan or follower into a consumer of your product or service. Having them merely follow your daily activities won't get you anywhere in the end.

For businesses attempting to recruit and hire a social media marketer, it is important to be able to differentiate between a marketing expert and a social media expert. Usually, the more ideal candidate is the marketing expert with basic knowledge of social media and an innovative imagination. In creative departments all over the country, innovative marketers are a valued asset to the success of any company.

A valuable exercise to perform when interviewing potential candidates is to ask how they plan to measure the success of your company's social media outlets. If they balk at the question or are unable to verbally explain how they plan to convert fans and followers, then it is quite obvious they are not the right fit for the job.

Social media opens the door for consumers to learn more about your company. Being able to attract them to your website or entice them to try your products is the real test. In the end, you want something physical out of each social media follower you have. How does the potential candidate plan to do that?

Furthermore, be aware of what social media forums a job seeker uses on a daily basis. If they are limited to a personal Twitter and Facebook account, then they are likely just fascinated in the world of online communication and can ruin your company's social media presence in the long run.