Consulting

A lot of people are offering social media consulting these days.

You can find a broad range of people with different insight, connections and experience with social media.

So, why should you consider me as a social media consultant?

I have extensive, non-theoretical experience with social media. I have been very active online since 1990. Over the past 19 years I have been closely involved in several hundred online communities – including underground hacker groups, bridges, BBSs, codelines, Usenet newsgroups, IRC channels, listservers, online services, packet switched networks, discussion forums… and more recently: wikis, blogs, microblogging, social bookmarking and social networking sites.

I’ve watched countless communities rise and fall for various reasons, and over the years I’ve developed a strong instinctual sense for what works in social media and what is likely to fail.

I’ve learned how to get to the bottom of new technologies and challenges by using the right tools, making the right connections and asking the right questions.

I have academic backgrounds in both social science and online marketing. I have a B.A., summa cum laude, in sociology from the University of Florida, where I did research on the density of acquaintanceship in residential communities. I earned my post-baccalaureate Certificate in Internet Marketing and E-commerce from Southern Oregon University.

I have solid SEO skills.I have worked as an in-house SEO consultant for a Denver web development agency, and I’ve recently done independent SEO consulting contracts for large international sites. There are a lot of critical, technical issues to consider when planning a social media campaign on the web (like site architecture, redirecting and moving sites & blogs, duplicate content, flowing PageRank, keyword research, and analytics.) You probably don’t want to trust a social media consultant or agency with a “PR” background on these more technical Web issues. Technical web mistakes can be very costly to fix, or do over.

I’m sincere. I’m an Eagle Scout and a strong believer in making good digital karma. I can’t stand snakeoil sellers and agency hustlers who aren’t passionate about SEO + social media – those ones who are only passionate about making as much money as possible from it. So I tell prospective clients the truth and I frequently decline projects. If I’m not 100% sure I’m the best fit to help with your situation – I’ll let you know upfront. I would rather turn down a job with dignity, than take on something I felt unqualified to manage properly.

Please contact me and I will get back to you shortly.

-Brett