Something I’ve noticed in the the past year at various social media conferences/meetups I’ve been speaking at or attending:

There isn’t the same rush of new information, high of learning or excitement of discovery as there was in the first few years.  

We’re hearing things we already know, believe and practice – in different combinations, of course – but the principles are there: transparency, ethical behaviour, authenticity, community, conversation, engagement.

That’s because those of us who are active in the space are in a constant learning mode. For me that’s one of the greatest gifts social media has given us: the fact I always feel like a student. The difference is, I’m no longer a freshman – and lots of people aren’t.

So what does that mean for social media and PR?

For one thing, it’s moved beyond being a hip, jargon-filled curiosity (i.e. older people are no longer putting ‘the’ in front of tools like Facebook, Twitter, etc.). And it’s becoming part of the furniture.

So, if you’re a business about to make a choice about which agency you should work with on social media, (I’m tempted to say your PR agency but there are alternatives) what should you look for?  And what should you avoid?

Here are a few suggestions:

What you need What you can do without
Chemistry – that’s always  been an important consideration. It’s all about fit. And not everything or everyone does. The cool factor – beware of inflated egos that sometimes come from knowing and partying with ‘A-listers’.
Participation and mastery – your agency, starting with the principals, should be actively engaged in social media. Would you hire a PR firm that only discussed news releases but had never written one? An ad agency that showed examples of other companies’ work because they had none of their own? Hopefully not. Bla-bla-bla – someone who just talks a good game.  Think twice about those canned presentations multinationals share that showcase a small, elite group but may not be representative of the people you’d be working with.
Big picture – the ability to look at the panoramic view, see where you are and where you want to go and be the GPS that guides you there. Shiny new toys – fun to play with for a few minutes and then quickly abandoned. Think about kids on Christmas morning and the junk that’s only used once.
Getting it done with creativity, innovation and executional excellence. And knowing when to re-adjust the vertical and horizontal controls. Can only see one thing trough their dark, but trendy sunglasses. Cue more jargon.

There’s a lot of noise in social media and one of the biggest challenges is finding a decent filter.  In many cases, that means going back to basics. You also need a good filter to cut through the agency noise and find a true partner that makes you both shine.

What do you think clients should consider when choosing a social media partner?

About Martin Waxman


Martin Waxman, MCM, is a digital communications strategist. He conducts AI research, leads digital and social media training workshops and speaks at events across North America. He's co-founder of two PR agencies, president of a consultancy and has worked in the industry for nearly 30 years. Martin is a LinkedIn Learning instructor, teaches digital strategy and social media at McMaster University, the Schulich School of Business, University of Toronto SCS and Seneca College. He's a member of the Institute for Public Relations Digital Media Research Center and a past-chair of PRSA Counselors Academy. He has a Master of Communications Management (MCM) from McMaster-Syracuse Universities.