No doubt the emergence of social media and networks has completely changed many of the paradigms of marketing and communication, but at the same time, they also represent a great opportunity for those who want to make the most of their potential. Brands and companies now more than ever are aware of the importance of this type of media, but their work through them would not be possible without the true work of social media professionals.
However, in spite of the real importance of social networks and the almost obliged presence of companies in them, the social media world is permanently involved in the debate of speculation, false gurus, opportunists and contempt of The emerging figures of some professionals such as the Community Manager.
Perhaps we should really begin to really appreciate the importance of the professional who watches over the reputation of a brand or company, especially since the value of that reputation is one of the most important assets for any company. Therefore, the work of the Community Manager can prove to be as important as the best sales sales of our business.
The question is, when we talk about Community Managers, we are really talking about professionals. A criterion really difficult to establish considering that it is a profession that was just born and that barely five years ago did not even exist. Therefore, it will be essential to take into account some fundamental aspects. For example Is this a really experienced person? Are you fully dedicated to developing your role as such? And of course Are you really qualified for it?
Answering these questions is not so simple. Being practically a new profession with great projection. Experience can sometimes be difficult to take as a reference. However, the ability, qualification and knowledge certainly are. More when we have repeatedly referred to this profile as the professional one of the ‘thousand and one trades’ as we could discover through a curious infographic about the thousand professions of the Community Manager. And as you can see, to be a true community manager it is not enough to have knowledge of the basic functioning of social media and networks. It requires many virtues, qualities and knowledge that are not even easy to find in the same person.
During the last few years, time has enabled many of these professionals to do likewise through experience. The growing demand for these new professional profiles has also undoubtedly provided a new opportunity for many people who, in times of recession and crisis, see the possibility of adopting a new profession of the future, but above all, a solution to the problem. Lack of generalized employment. Something that has somehow generated the massive appearance of many supposed social media professionals and a growing interest in this professional profile.
However, the bitter side also shows us how the effort to train real professionals, is stained by other practices less ethical that ultimately affect the reputation of social media itself and the value itself should be attributed to the true Community Manager and his professional work . Courses of Community Managers free or whose cost does not exceed 50 euros to finally derive in a whole string of complaints and complaints of scam. This is as if you will think that you are already a great decorator painter by the fact of having bought a brush and a boat of plastic paint in any drugstore.
Not to mention those companies that offer us their social media services with teams of community managers not qualified at a bargain price, thanks to the exploitation of young or desperate people who can not find another exit in the labor market. All this, evidently ultimately end up hurting the real professionals or those who have invested their savings in a quality training as a guarantee of a greater and broad knowledge of all this and expects above all, receive a decent salary according to their training , Ability or experience.
Great professionals and Social Media referents like Gaby Castellanos, do not hesitate to express their most critical opinion on some practices that undoubtedly harm the reputation and dignity of these professionals.
In the end it is not surprising that we talk about “fumes” and “gurupollas” or that the true professional feels discredited by the bad practices of a few. The social media and social networks came to stay and of course you need companies and especially people and professionals prepared to face their great challenges. But above all, that the emergent figure of the Community Manager is respected, it is recognized for its work and its importance as a fundamental pillar of any online marketing strategy.