Yes, well here we go again, another one of those, I've got a list of over "9,000″ Twitter followers so I'm a social media expert marketing forms has hit my desk today. Come along it says, "to my affiliate marketing driven roadshow and in 4 hours I'll make you the expert, but there's more, if you sign away your hard earned money right now, i have an e-book special for you, yes just for you, an E-Book that I didn't write by the way,but I'll pretend its mine, and all it will cost you is $89.00."
I get emails like this every day, offering free product that I can sell or give away as my own, I get E-Books, money making ideas and lots of materials that I can re-brand, that's not being an expert, that's a faker.
These so called experts all have massive numbers of followers on social media sites like MySpace and Facebook and of course Twitter, and they fool you to part with your money.
Well don't fall for it, because I'm going to tell you how to fake it, and then you too can be the instant social media expert, you know, the one who can't get a job selling real estate so they opt for this easy money.
Ok this is how you do it, On MySpace and Facebook, you find as many people with similar names or interests as you and then send them friend requests, a lot will decline but you would be surprised at the number that actually come back and accept you, that way you build up your following very quickly, they never do anything with you but hey it builds your numbers. Next Twitter, there are a number of programs that will show you how to build big follower numbers and it's funny but it's nearly always around the 9000 mark. You can do the same with Twitter as you do with MySpace and Facebook, that is follow large numbers of people and I'll guarantee you a fair number will follow you back, and you know the dead giveaway? look at the follower number next to the following number, that they can't hide.
I know of one expert that actually sends out his flyers with "I have 9000 followers on twitter" so I must be good, well one thing he doesn't tell you is he follows over 10,500. If you really want to get serious with this, have a look at the Twitter accounts with large followings, 99% of them are well known actors, celebrities or business people, so what does that tell you.
I have always taken the tack that to build a social media following you should earn it, build it on providing good quality information and advice and create the "Expert" tag through experience and generate your followers organically not by underhand means and faking it.
There are so many "snake oil" sales people out there you really need to hang on to your wallet.
So next time you get a flyer or an invite, stop and do some research first, the web and Google are a great place to find out information on your expert. How many articles have they had published?, where do they rank on Google?, What recommendations do they have and what companies have they worked with in designing and integrating a social media strategy. For example, I've just done a search on social media experts, and this person I'm telling you about doesn't even rank on the top 20 pages.
Is this sour grapes? no, I just don't like rip off artists who pray on people like you.
Author Mike Andrew is a technology consultant to small business and operates a web consultancy that covers areas such SEO, social media strategy and Internet marketing.
You can visit Mike's web site on social media more information at http://www.mikeandrewrealestate.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Andrew
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