For the last few weeks there has been some buzz about opportunities in the social media realm like Twitter, Facebook, you-name-it (but I won’t name by whom here)…and I got a little excited about the project and opportunities they were offering ….but once I started to connect they seemed to require that I needed a social media certification (at a special discount price) before proceeding.

Really?

Do you mean to tell me I have I been doing social media work with and for clients without being qualified all this time?

First of all, no one has ever asked me for a certification. Second of all, working in communications is all about experience.  Third of all – and funnily enough –   there is not even a professional standards body for this industry. And yet there they (and so many more once you search the web) are in their “academies” offering certification courses, of course based on “real case studies”. Great business model. They make a quick (and good) buck and you get a worthless piece of paper.

The thing about social media is that we are all experts at social media. And if you are new to this game then there are some great trainings out there for you to familiarize yourselves with the networks and their specifics. And If you want to learn how to be successful in social media, look at those people or companies that have a proven track record.

And to those with their amazing social media initatives I say “good luck” with much love from this certifcate-less, non-accredited social media person