Social media consulting... free. Really?

At a recent networking luncheon, a man was promoting himself as a web site and social media "expert" when introducing himself. He made a statement something like this, "Social media training should be free because social media is free." I almost fell out of my chair! This guy was clearly only offering the classes for free in order to get web site work -- and he said so just a couple sentences later.

Just because water is free (if you're on a well like I am, anyway), does that mean you shouldn't hire a plumber to run your pipes?

Don't get me wrong! I'm all for sharing of information and helping each other, especially where social media is concerned. This is the core concept of Social Media Club, BarCamp, and Tweetups. I've learned from so many other people, and I am heavily involved with such groups, giving back. However, many people have taken considerable time and effort to climb the learning curve of social media even before the bandwagon got full. Don't they deserve to be compensated for sharing their knowledge? I say YES, when you want more individualized help than what the seminars and get-togethers can offer. Just like any other professional who specializes in an area of expertise you need. While you can try to muddle through plumbing -- it's always better to get someone who knows what they're doing which can save you time, money and aggravation.

One warning... buyer beware - whether free or paid services are sought. Be sure to check out the person you are learning from. What is their true level of expertise? And, what is your level of experience? Make sure the two coordinate, so that you can get to the next level and can understand the lingo they are using without needing a Web 2.0 dictionary. Someone who is just opening a Twitter account for the first time doesn't need a social media "guru" just like someone who's already averages 25 tweets a day doesn't need a beginner's lesson in Twitter.

Bottom line... learn as much as you can at the free and low-cost outlets, gaining perspective from different people -- always continue learning -- but it's well worth the investment of hiring a pro when you want to take it to the next level.

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Social Media Defined: TWITTER

Thought I'd share a brief list of Twitter terms for those Twitter newbies trying to learn the lingo. Additions and comments welcome!

Twitter: is a free web-based service, in which users issue status messages in 140 characters or less. It's used by people of all ages and backgrounds for business, socializing, networking, education and fun.

Twitter handle: is someone's Twitter account name with the @ sign in front of it. For example, mine is @kerrigoldsmith

Tweet: the 140 character (or less) messages transmitted via Twitter

Following: the people whose tweets you've signed up to read; their tweets appear on your Twitter home page stream

Followers: the people who have signed up to read your tweets; your tweets appear on their Twitter home page stream

Re-tweet: re-broadcast of a tweet to your own group of followers. You should always give the original tweeter credit by putting "RT" in front of their Twitter handle and the message.

Direct message: is a private tweet between two Twitter users. A person must be following you to receive a direct message. To send one, put a D in front of their Twitter handle at the beginning of your tweet, or use the direct message tools available on Twitter.

Hashtag: a keyword with the pound (#) sign in front of it, commonly used during group discussions, or to help your messages connect with the right audience who may be using that word as a search term (i.e. #socialmedia #twitter #smcswfl)

Block: If you want to remove a follower from your list and prevent them from reading your tweets or showing up on your list of followers, you can choose to block them.

Spam: Just like email, there are also Twitter spammers who will send you unwanted messages, even if you aren't following them. All they have to do is use your @twittername. These can be reported to Twitter, or just ignore them.

Protected account: For those who are concerned about privacy, you can opt for a protected account on Twitter, where you must approve all requests from those who want to follow you - and only those on your approved list can read your updates. They are also not searchable or viewable by the general public. If you are using Twitter for internal/private communications, this is a good way to go, but not for business promotion.

Tweetup: A meetup for people who use Twitter in a local area. Very interesting and fun way to learn the ins and outs of social media, and to meet a variety of people who enjoy Twitter.

Twestival: An even bigger Twitter meetup -- a multi-day festival with a charitable beneficiary. These are held simultaneously in multiple cities around the globe.

Tw....: the scores of other words which have entered our social media vocabulary which relate to Twitter. Just combine a "tw" with any word to twitterize it... tweeple, tweetheart, twammer (Twitter+spammer) etc.

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