One of these videos prompted independent social media consultant B.L. Ochman (@whatsnext)to tweet emphatically:

whatsnext: Microsoft! say this Windows 7 launch party video is a hoax http://bit.ly/OLeLD

Check out the video and let me know what you think.

I like the part where the guy on the left ostensibly says, “Call customer service if you have any questions.” Play the vid at that spot and you can see that a voice has been dubbed over while the other three are on screen nodding their heads. Still, is this the wrong way to do “informal”? The goal is to promote and facilitate Windows 7 launch parties.

Were social media experts involved in concepting, staging and publishing this slightly disturbing production?

In Microsoft’s defense, there are no rules about who can use social media and in what way. Why is it wrong to script a video with the intention of giving an informal feel so that it looks more natural on YouTube? You could argue that is has a much better chance of being effective. We’re not asked to believe that these are real people, or maybe they are real people. They seem sorta kinda real.

The video has been viewed over a million times. What does that tell us? (genuine question) I’m guessing the ad agency has some state-of-the-art metrics for views, discussions, links. Juicy stuff. What sorts of conclusions are they drawing? If nothing else, the video has sparked some conversations. Let’s keep an eye out for more.

One thing I can’t quite hear: (wish I had the script!) At the beginning of the video, one of the “hosts” says, “The four of us, along with hosts worldwide and you…” Did I get that right. “Hosts worldwide” is not an agency of some kind, it’s all the other hosts around the world that will be holding Windows 7 launch parties. Unfortunately, no one has invited me to one yet, and, at this point, I don’t plan to host my own.

It looks like SEOmoz is giving away the badge so that you will link to their Social Media Marketing Guide, Directory and Resources page. Good idea! They leave it to you to determine whether you are qualified to use the badge or not. If you want your own badge, click here.

I like what Brogan is up to. He talks about TRUST, being a “Trust Agent”. This is what social media does well. When you use it in an honest way, it works. It may not make you money. It may not sell stuff. But it can help you earn people’s trust. What you do with that trust is a different question.

Now, if you think the whole “Trust Agent” thing is just another way to sell stuff, I’m all ears. You might just have a point.

Cindy is the life of every party now that she's
a Social Media Expert

Full disclosure: I think I know something about social media myself, which is why I created this site. For more about that, see the About page.

The aim of Social Media Reality Check is to take “a candid look at the social media guru’s wardrobe”. The “wardrobe” reference suggests that social media as a business endeavor is all hype and no substance. This is intentional, but I don’t really think it’s true. I think we need a little more dispassionate examination of the facts, and it’s my impression that many others feel the same way.

Many companies – and universities, and non-profit organizations – are jumping on the social media bandwagon. A lot of them are taking a predictable approach: they are hiring, or seeking to hire, someone to be in charge of “social media marketing”, sometimes this involves “community building”, also seen as a form of marketing.

By my guestimate, 90% of companies are looking at social media as a new and (probably) essential part of marketing. As such, they figure they need a social media marketing manager, or at least they need an online marketing manager to handle social media marketing.

I have read some amazing social media marketing manager job descriptions over the past few months. After talking with a new friend and confidant, Kimberly Plumley, I got motivated to put some of my thoughts online where others can read and react to them.

If a company can write a job description that explicitly calls for a “social media marketing expert”, then such a person must exist, right? And whoever is writing the description must know exactly what skills and experience that person will have. But social media marketing has only been around for, oh, two years? Maybe. And, as a “profession”, it has only been around for, I don’t know, six months? How long have there been “social media marketing expert” job descriptions? How many people have the title “Social Media Marketing Manager”? I would like to find out.

That’s where you come in. It’s easy to call yourself an expert, and it’s almost as easy to ridicule those that do. But this doesn’t serve anyone’s best interests.

Let’s take a good look at the emperor. Let’s pull back the curtain, smell the coffee, get real, cut the crap, and insert your truth-telling metaphor here.

I want this site to be a forum. If it gains enough momentum, I will litterally turn it into a forum using BuddyPress forum software. But for now, let’s just have a good, healthy exchange of information and opinion.

Ideally, the discussion will be based on facts. That’s always the tough part. So if you’ve got facts, meaning, for example, documented numbers of people who have been hired as social media marketing managers, then bring ‘em on!

I know one good place to start: Jeremiah Owyang’s blog. If you can think of others, put ‘em down there in the comments along with your thoughts, rants, whatever you like.

Let’s get things rolling.