Does your company need to hire a social media specialist?

It’s a debate that has been popping up on various blogs and in publications recently, and there are a few varying outlooks on the topic.

First, there’s Peter Shankman, founder of the lifesaving website Help A Reporter Out (HARO). Shankman sums up his thoughts in a recent blog post: “If you call yourself a social media expert, don’t even bother sending me your résumé.”

He believes that social media, while a necessary element of marketing, should be a collective effort—“another facet of marketing and customer service.”

The Next Web, meanwhile, has a different take, asking, “Do startups need to hire social media experts?”

Though their answer is not a resounding “yes,” it’s certainly not a definite “no.”

Francis Tan gives a solid road map for startups to determine whether a social media expert will help them reach their goals.

What’s your take? Has your company found success with a social media expert?

Courtesy of Kevin Allen via PR Daily