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Social Media How To: Explain to People What You Do

by Stuart Foster on May 29, 2009

This post was inspired by Alexis Karlin of Forrester and Sarah Faasse.

For those of us who work within the social media space this question and complex is a familiar one. But really, how do you? Everyday I get asked this question and it isn't easy to answer. The answer usually comes in the form of a misappropriated elevator pitch minus any technical lingo. Not exactly easy to follow for the listener, is it?

Come on we're marketers/communicators/thought leaders, we should be able to explain to a family member or friend what we do. So I've prepared a few quick tips on what we can do to clear up this egregious communication gap:

1. No usage of the words: silos, inbound marketing, evangelized users, and community building. You can't use any marketing terms. It's confusing enough to people when you start talking in marketing speak...social media speak is like the foreign exchange student trying to learn English. It's painful to the uninitiated.

2. Don't mention: Chris Brogan, David Armano, Scott Monty, or Penelope Trunk. They don't know who they are and they don't care. The issue with being micro-famous these days is that you forget how much of a big deal you AREN'T. We all have people in our respective fields who we have all heard of but are completely anonymous to the outside world. So, don't try and de-cloak them. I'm sure most of them need a break anyway.

3. Keep it Simple. You don't have to justify R.O.I. to your parents. So keep the conversation on a base level and just run them through it in a very congenial and fun way. Twitter can be fun. You just find it fun for different reasons then your 16 year old sister.

4. Don't vomit when they ask you if you are on Myspace or Second Life. To the average person these still have value and probably are seen as cutting edge in a lot of ways. Don't react negatively...as much as you want to. The knowledge gap is still a wide chasm. So be patient and explain everything thoroughly. Suggest better alternatives, while not bashing the other ones.

5. Go buy Groundswell. Saves a lot of time and explanation. Seriously.

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  • I tell people I'm an astronaut. They ask what I mean. I elaborate. They say, "You're right."
  • Haha, I might have to "borrow" that one Ari. Exploring the far depths of cyberspace.
  • "…social media speak is like the foreign exchange student trying to learn English. It’s painful to the uninitiated." - classic. Keep up the good work.
  • Haha, glad you enjoyed Drew :).
  • I'll still never forget the first time I watched that Office clip in college. Ricky Gervais has got some genius in him, that's for sure.

    Also, good tips ;)
  • I heart Ricky Gervais. That is all.
  • I was asked to explain my job on a date not too long ago, and I ended up agreeing with her in frustration when she asked, "So, do you work for Facebook?"
  • Anybody working in a newish industry has a tough time explaining exactly what it is you do. I work at a search marketing company, and it's difficult bordering on painful to try to explain what I do, so my stock answer is now, "I get more traffic to people's websites". Not the most polished or impressive, but at least it's comprehensible.
  • Great post Stuart! I think this is a "universal problem" within the social media space. We do everything and we do nothing at the same time - we are a huge bunch of anomalies so try explaining THAT to someone. My favorite comment was Ari's - "I'm an astronaut". We defy gravity.
  • I'm glad you brought this up. The marketing-speak gets old, even to a marketer. Good idea to step into a potential client's shoes and see if you can understand what the heck you are saying. I find it useful to address their business challenges, then explain in simple terms how social media can help. Let them ask the questions that bring out the details.
  • I've found telling people I help individuals/businesses find and acquire targeted traffic and communicate with their target audience works 90% of the time. For the other 10%, I just tell them I live online.
  • I totally agree. People don't get it and if you talk that way to them they will never understand it. I am glad I hang around some tech savvy people so I can save the explanation.
  • Well, I don't really work in Social Media but I do encounter similar problems when people ask me what I do or what twitter is. I usually just say that I fix broken stuff ;-) And I've found it difficult to explain twitter to people who have never used it - although if I mention that it has helped me find work, then they suddenly see the value.

    I don't think it's ever cool to disparage networks that we think are lame that others enjoy. I might despise myspace but it doesn't mean it isn't valuable to my brother and his friends. Who am I to judge?
  • True. But I'm saying you shouldn't...
  • How about something really simple like ~ I help people communicate. Mostly online.

    Same question for the working project manager ~ I herd cats. You know how much they like to be herded. You need good catnip.
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