By mid 2009, there were over 16,000 freelance social media experts plying their trade on Twitter alone. Finding the one that is right for your website can, at times, seem overbearing and confusing. The number of experts keeps growing, but the way to find a reputable one has not been found yet.
First, make a list of what you need from one. Make it very specific before you start to listen to the responses you will be receiving. One big giveaway is what and how a person refers to themselves. If you interview or have contact with a person that is calling themselves a guru or expert, ask for references. One of the first things affiliate marketers learn is to attract attention by using catchy titles. If guru, expert, or anything close to this type of sensationalism is how they and they alone refer to themselves or call themselves, take it as a warning to stay away.
For every freelance social media expert that contacts you, you should Google them and look at their history. Use the tool that is most effective, the internet. It can help you with your search. If a prospective freelancer claims to have been doing social media on the internet for years, but no evidence of it can be found, they might be stretching the truth. Many of the online experts have been in the field in the more traditional marketing before they moved their business online. They should have plenty of references and examples of their work. Most marketing strategies that were in use before the internet are still being used, but just adapted for the internet. Do not discount a person just because their online experience is limited. These are some of the best social networking experts that have contacts in both the real world and in the cyber world. Networking is nothing new, but the internet has just provided a means to make it easier, if used properly.
You probably have an idea of what kind of campaign you are looking for. With each prospective freelance social media expert you talk to, ask them what their plan for a campaign will consist of. If they have a list that includes email marketing and postings on Twitter as their main components, they are probably new to this profession. Take the freelancer seriously when they have a website that is filled with comments about the work they have already preformed.
The right freelancing social media campaigns do not use Facebook, Twitter, or MySpace as a major part of a campaign. It is acceptable to have a presence there, but not as a main component.
One last thing is to ask each freelance social media expert how you can follow the progress of the campaign and your presence on the web. Listen to what they say. Google alerts and Twitter searches are free and effective tools for this. If their response is trust me, then trust them to take your money to the bank and that is about it.
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