I hear this a lot of times from colleagues, fellow professionals in the industry, and students. Everyone thinks working in social media is “easy” and anyone can do it. I have gotten this a lot from professors who do not teach social media over the years:
Karen – teaching social media is all about taking selfies and creating memes, right?
How do I respond? I do laugh, and say that’s not all that I do. In fact, I actually lay out my planning schedule and what I do just to prepare for one of my classes. I also show them my syllabus for the class. Their eyes get big and they look at me and say – this looks HARD and super demanding!
I answer back yes. As I have written about and discussed in many different settings: Social media is both the hardest yet most rewarding field to be a part of. There are a lot of hours, time, resources, and commitment you have to put forward to be relevant and successful in this field. It is a field where you can’t do the same thing twice, and always have to be willing to learn, adapt, share, and be agile in your expertise and experiences to be competitive in the field.
You get to experience some amazing positives working in social media (I am very thankful for what I have been able to do because of social media as a professor, researcher, and consultant), yet you have to acknowledge there are challenges. You got to have a balanced perspective of the field, but I do think most of the time, you only hear one side of the coin.
This issue is something I have discussed in my classes and in my upcoming social media textbook, I address both the positives and challenges social media professionals are faced with in this constantly evolving field.
This is a topic that needs to be discussed more in the field, and I think people are recognizing this. For example, one post from Thea on LinkedIn sparked a TON of discussion both in my sports and social media professors groups. The overall focus was whether or not we should ask our social media managers if they are okay. Others have discussed how in certain fields like sports, social media professionals are leaving for other opportunities in other industries? Why is this the case? Everyone recognized this is a discussion we need to have across the board.
Social media professionals have not only experienced a rise in opportunities, but challenges as well. We are expected to do everything under the sun it seems like. We have to be content creators, storytellers, managers, crisis professionals, data analysts, disruptors, entrepreneurs, strategists, writers, researchers, community managers, customer service representatives, and experts in personal branding. These are just a FEW of the things we have to do – there are at least 10+ more areas we have to be experts in.
Just look at the most recent job ads for social media positions and compare them to traditional PR or marketing jobs. The amount of requirements and expectations seem to continue to rise here for social media professionals each time you open a new job posting. I am amazed when I have students who share these with me, and I tell them with some of them: These brands are looking for a unicorn.
The expectations are indeed high and the stress can be as well. Social media managers have to be on and perfect 100% of the time. If they mess up, the world knows and they let us never forget that we made a mistake. I have had friends who have worked with brands and accounts that have gotten hacked or they have had a crisis. I always tell my students BEFORE they tweet something to this account – recognize there will always be a person (or group of people) who are reading this update on the other side, and I ask them – how would YOU feel if they read something that was directed to you? That does help change the perspective on things.
I think Jessica Smith has the right approach and suggestions on how to set yourself up for success in order to thrive in the field. We need to have more of these discussions in and out of our classes. How do we prepare students and colleagues for what is to be expected of them in the industry?
I have been online now for 23+ years when I started my personal website in 1995, and been active in establishing my personal brand over the years from a student-athlete to PR student, to now a social media professor. I believe Thea raises some good points here, but I think it’s also important to think about what actions and best practices we can do to address this head on is also key.
There have been some things I have learned over the years from being online and part of this industry, so here are some of my recommendations to keep in mind:
Have the conversation with a community you trust. Be part of a community where you are able to share what you are thinking, what are some questions you have, and what are some best practices you have found to work for you. That’s why I think the #SMprofs community on FB is a great place for many of my fellow colleagues. We are able to have discussions and talk about a variety of issues. We are all not alone in this.
Acknowledge and note the truths about the field. There are some certain truths that do have to be emphasized and communicated though. Yes, this is a fast paced field that means a lot of long hours and work. Yes, you will be expected to have the latest and greatest trends and insights at your finger tips. Yes, this is a field that can be both the best thing ever, and the most demanding work you have ever had to deal with. Yes, social media positions may range in pay and expectations based on the industry you are in. Yes, sometimes leadership expects you to create miracles and pull rabbits out of your magic hat.
Okay, some of these are out there truths – but the key thing to note here is this: Social media is a field where you do have to be agile, and be the best advocate you can be for the profession to leadership. You have to invest in your training and education – that’s not just a thing you have to do in social media, but in every discipline now. It’s a competitive field – you can’t sit back and say – okay! I am a graduate now and or I got my PhD and I am done learning. That’s going to take you down the path of irrelevancy faster than the speed of light.
However, like all things in life, if you have a routine in place where you do take the time to work on your craft and understand your own goals you have for the field, you are able to manage the expectations from others.
Understand that sometimes people do mean things online. Mean people are out there – and they can do some unpleasant things. Whether it is saying something negative about you online and where they feel protected behind their screen, or you see your brand trending on social media for not the right reasons, and many are expressing their outrage to you. Someone is trying to spread rumors about you to damage your reputation or you see that your work and ideas are being used by someone else in the field. These are just some things that happen unfortunately, but what you have to do is 1) take a moment to collect your thoughts and emotions, 2) strategize on how you approach this situation, and 3) take action. Sometimes, this means taking a step back and a break. This could also mean cutting off people from your circle of contacts if you feel they are toxic to your environment. The key thing always is to take action to address it – this always makes the situation feel like it is moving closer to recovery.
Keep a balanced perspective. Being on social media 24/7 can be draining, and you do have to take a break and make sure you keep things in motion. Set a timer for yourself for how much time you spend on social media. Take breaks. Take a moment for yourself to collect your thoughts. Think about doing a digital detox from technology. Do activities that are fun and enjoyable for you to reduce any stress you have. For me, this is exercise. Working out as a track and field athlete for ten years really got me into this routine. This is something I personally make sure to do each and every day – and there are times where this means spin classes to Orange Theory – or if it is that kind of day – kickboxing classes do the trick. The key thing to realize here is to make sure you keep in mind while social media is part of your job, it’s not 100% of who you are as a person.
Create a community of your best advocates. Be with people and friends you feel are supportive of your work. There are a lot of people who have a lot of time on their hands and will say whatever on social media. Be able to reach out to others who have your back and support you, and they can also count on you as well. Be there as a mentor if they have questions and comments. Over the years, I have had many calls and check ins from former students and colleagues working in social who ask for my advice and time on certain situations they have faced.
Ask how others are doing and check in. It’s okay to reach out to others. We are all in the same boat and want to help. We are all busy people, but taking the time to say – hey! How are things going with you? A simple call, thank you note, card, text, message, and update can go along way. Taking action on this is key – check ins don’t happen if you don’t initiate it.
In summary, while I think social media as a field can sometimes be stressful, it is a pretty special field to be in. I do think the positives of the field truly do outweigh the challenges. If you are able to take breaks, reach out to your community for advice and support, and keep a balanced perspective, you will continue to see the great opportunities the field offers.
Hope you all are having a great day!
Best Wishes,
