Social media expert

How does one become a social media expert? There   aren't  any phD programs that specialize in mastering social media.  Just like an electrician can only be certified after several hours of on the job training, expertise on almost anything can be established through experience. 

Do social media experts have more experience with social media than the rest of us? 

Doubtful.

It's difficult to be an expert a shoelace tying , bed-making or filling  tanks of gas.  These are things we all need to do and spending time becoming the 'expert' is irrelevant.

Social media experts don't tweet better, hit the like button more efficiently or upload images more effectively than everybody else. Instead, they've created a label that holds no merit. That doesn't mean they are fraudulent, it just means that they've replaced  the scientifically rigorous study of people's interactions in an online environment with an idea that you can become an expert  without the hard work. 

Be wary of smoke and mirrors. If you're someone who is a self-proclaimed expert in anything, be sure that you have the experience, education or   skill set to effectively navigate your craft.