Digital and Social Media is Not An Out of the Box Solution - Don't be Fooled.
I came across the following in a recent request for consulting/expertise:
"I need someone for my next Digital Marketing projects. The person should have adept knowledge of Search Engine Optimization, Digital Display Advertising, Mobile Marketing, Analytics, Email Marketing, Search Marketing PPC, Strategy & Planning and Social Media Marketing."
*Language has been altered slightly so as not to be revealing.
In a quick post, I wanted to take the time to let the world know that no ONE person can handle everything listed here.
There seems to be a naive perception, misunderstanding or underestimation of what Digital and Social Media entails across individuals, companies and even entire industries - for which you might be surprised to find that the baseline approach is not all that different. Whether small business, advocacy, consumer products or even highly regulated industries like Pharma, Finance and Liquor, we all start from the same place.
Part of our Mission at BK Digital is to educate those that need help about how to properly understand and then approach their digital/social marketing/advertising/PR needs.
There is only one (albeit giant!) Digital umbrella, which I'm now viewing as a Parachute, with connected experts guiding us to our target. No matter how things evolve under it, when we take a peek, we find a variety of separate disciplines, varying levels of experience, career exposure and areas that require specific expertise. Ensuring the right help is in place can be challenging because of the depth of different disciplines.
Many of us have absolutely been generalists in digital/social for a long time now, but we're at a turning point where having experts play their positions on a collaborative team, with an overarching strategist and project manager, just to start, is critical to success.
Just remember, if any digital/social expert tells you they can do everything themselves, they are almost definitely misrepresenting their capabilities.
It's important to properly vet any partners for deep knowledge within these verticals, and more importantly, how they work together, before making a decision. There's a lot to consider, a lot of questions you may not know to ask (which is okay!). This is where we can help - but this post isn't about BK Digital, it's about making sure we help you to start to understand that the asks listed above are often full-time jobs that require constant upkeep on technology, and this continues to evolve faster than we can keep up. Be cautious who you work with.
Make sure to ask the right questions, or find someone who can.