I’ve been contemplating this for about a month now. Wondering — through all the very many nooks and crannies of my mind (and there are a lot!) — whether or not social media in all its vastness is sustainable.
When I speak about sustainability, I am focusing in on two particular areas. One is the sustainability of the medium as an effective marketing channel and how it fits into a successful marketing strategy. The second looks at social media as a career choice.
I’ll admit I follow LinkedIn Jobs, job boards, and communities — it gives me a sense of what organizations consider important and relevant in today’s business world. How do marketing jobs fare? Is there a particular skew in speciality? In what areas are companies looking to hire most?
Inevitably, the trend I’ve witnessed has been the growth of what is now coined the ‘Social Media Bubble’. And I will contend that it is, in fact, a bubble.
From tweets to LinkedIn postings to emails in my inbox, for the past 12 months in particular, there has been a noted influx in demand for social media specialists, gurus and wizards! (Clearly, these companies don’t realize that none of these individuals actually exist!)
But it sparked a question in my mind. As a member of the marketing — and specifically these days the digital marketing — community, is a job or career choice in social media a smart one?
My gut says NO. My instincts tell me that the bubble is real, that we, as marketers and consumers, are inextricably drawn to this massive, online, social media sub-world that is driven predominantly by a false sense of connection and community. Is that a harsh analysis? Most definitely! But, if we’re being honest, very few individuals and businesses are doing it right or well.
The recent downturn in the American economy and its rather scary global market implications hint at a second recession. It’s the last thing anyone wants. But I can’t help having the feeling that if it were reality, social media would be the first thing to go.
It’s risky and unpredictable. It’s new and modern. It’s a mix of controlled knowledge and an uncontrollable environment.
What all this points to is the crux of my post — is social media our marketing saviour or does it lack the staying power to sustain itself well into the future?
People are bandwagon-jumpers. We love our trends and fads. We can’t help it! But as a marketer I struggle with social media and how it fits into the mix. I cannot say I’m completely sold. And maybe that’s something the Google Pluses of the world (and any other new social up-and-comers) need to keep in mind: the pitch phase hasn’t ended yet, each and every one of them still has to convince me why it’s worth my time — professionally and personally.
And, on top of that, the industry needs to keep that bubble from bursting.
