Social Media Blasphemy

Some thing ain’t right.

I am told, that if your company gets mentioned on CNN especially in a positive sense, that you have achieved great success. I mean its CNN, the most watch network worldwide. You know how many eyeballs get to see your brand? that spot is gold.

Now, I am also told, that having social media presence is extremely important. I get it, I drink the social media cool aid. Yes I have read the articles on “how do you measure ROI” for your social media. That you have to be open, transparent, etc… And so I am sold, At least on Twitter, I mean you have to start somewhere, why not Twitter.

But something is off. Something is really off. Either CNN is not worth a damn, or social media, hard to tell. Its making the rounds today on Twitter. The race to 1 million, leading the pack, CNN. Dont get me wrong 1 million is a big number, but is it an achievement or a failure to hit that number for followers on Twitter?

CNN has been plugging Twitter on every show, for months and months, people like Rick Sanchez go live and plug Twitter daily. If CNN with all its world wide audience, round the clock coverage, and months of advertising Twitter, and still  can t hit 1 million then I am sorry but how good “really” is it to be mentioned on CNN? Or is it Twitter?

Who are the gurus of Twitter? take a look, from Britney spears to the President, whats in common? They are all celebrities or brands with big money, and dont need Twitter, dont get Twitter and dont care if twitter goes to hell tomorrow.  Look at them, they dont follow back, they dont tweet, they dont interact, and certainly could line up the same amount of fans without Twitter or any social media tool. So remind me again, what is the point of social media, what was that ROI argument?

Why am I not ever mentioned among the success stories of social media, I do my part, I Tweet, I follow back, I get it, I will be sad if Twitter goes to hell tomorrow. As a matter of fact, I add more value to the social media world than most of those fine folks do. Does social media only cater to the famous and well funded? Is there a success story for a small company that really gets followers on Twitter or fans on Facebook?