A non-guru asks: Are you good value on social media?

I'm not a guru.  Anyone who reads this blog knows it, but in case you've been lured here by a promising tweet, I just thought I'd make that clear.  I'd love to claim to be, but I'm not.  Consider yourself respectfully dismissed if you would prefer.  Seriously, it's cool.

Now, I'm actually fine with my status as a user of social media for pleasure and a little bit for business and non-profit work.  But sometimes I feel like more is expected of me than I'm actually capable of - in spite of me quite brazenly listing it as a skill on my recently rehashed LinkedIn profile.  I can do it and I do, but I'm no expert.  And I'm suppressing the urge to laugh even thinking of myself as a thought leader, bless my fluffy cotton bed socks.

And while I'm lowering expectations, this is not a parenting post either.  It's not for anyone really.  In fact, it's kind of navel-gazingy - and don't you just hate that? So this is your second reminder to exit stage left, should you wish to do so now.

Wow, I'm really great at this marketing business!

See, where this is coming from is that I somehow I have found myself being followed on Twitter by a number of social media experts, and I'm probably not alone here.  Sometimes I follow them first and this is because I have a genuine interest in the field.  I've self-studied it for a number of years, and I've formally studied Business, specialising in Marketing.  I've taught it too.  I am also trying to put together a social media strategy for our new dog collar business, so it makes sense that I am seeking the advice of those who are experts in their field.

But sometimes I feel so embarrassed when they follow me back.  Perhaps the answer is to quickly sign up for a distance learning CIM and complete it in double time just so I'll be worth the follow, but then I think that might be a disproportionate response (ha)

I mean, if they follow me first I can think: What, you really want to read my wry and infrequent 140 characters or less musings? Knock yerself out!  Indeed there is no topic I will not succinctly pontificate upon: Motherhood (of course), music, politics, calming techniques, blinkin' Liverpool Football Club for crying out loud - yeah, sorry if you catch me mid Europa pant-wetter.  I dip in and out with the intensity of my interest these days, but it's always been a thing of mine since I had a Match magazine cut out of Steve McManaman running across my bedroom mirror, pre-teenagedom.

What got me thinking about this was a tweet by a bona-fide guru on my Twitter feed.  I find his feed interesting and I read many of his articles.  But today he tweeted that he needs to see content worth sharing from those in his timeline - and I guess that includes me.  I have no such content, unless you want to read about the latest food foibles of Terrorzoid, or Mirena-induced contractions and anaemia (I actually had good feedback on that post!)

But this has got me thinking further.  Am I good value on social media?

It's hard to say and it certainly depends on why you followed me.  Do you expect social media insights and meaningful analysis? If so, then no, I am not.  Do you want me to commentate on every single ball that is kicked by the guys in the red shirts?  Again, no - I'm not the Motty of Twitter - or worse, one of those Sky Sports News dollybirds who totally does understand the offside rule y;know *hairflick, cleavage-hoist* (for the record, I do understand off-side).

Do you want me to sit and talk to you every night on Twitter instead of to my husband?  Tempting.... but it won't happen too often.  I already neglect him more than is advisable by trying to finish this War and Peace Business Plan I'm writing.

But if you like the odd quip, the odd political rant, the odd random stream-of-consciousness thought and an occasional bit of witty repartee, then keep me as a friend.  After all, social media - and especially Twitter, is all about the conversation, isn't it?  And unless we really are totally mismatched (marketing guru to blogging pleb) then I never understand why people hit that unfollow button - unless someone is offensive in some way, or constantly whining.  Especially when it's a mass clearing out and you are not starting again from the ground up (too many PR firms to weed out).  You are saying to people who value you enough to follow you 'hey, you are of no interest to me', then expect 'it's nothing personal' to make it okay.  Do you really think that they buy that?

And perhaps this is where those social media experts are canny.  They follow you, realise you are not what they thought, but don't unfollow as it damages their brand as a master of the art of social engagement.  They simply keep up with who is of value to them through lists.  And perhaps that is where some bloggers go wrong, if they deign to follow you to begin with.  Get clever with your social media, converse as well as broadcast, and don't burn bridges.  You never know when someone you thought of as inconsequential may become of value to you after all.