A lot of people think that social media is a trend. A fad to fade. Or at least that was the whisper up until this last year... when it became obvious that social media was here to stay.
There's a lot more to social media than collecting friends and promoting your blog posts or products. Social media is changing the way we do business, and the way we live.
See this quick 4+ minute video by Erik Qualman discussing whether social media is a fad - or the biggest shift since the industrial revolution...
I picked up a copy of Socialnomics by Erik Qualman (aka @equalman on Twitter) last month, and have been reading it off and on for the last few weeks. I'd love to just sit down and read it all the way through in one sitting, but it's been a busy month so I've been absorbing half a chapter here and there every chance I got.
You can get Socialnomics on audible, get it for the Kindle, or you can get a hardcover copy at Amazon for only $16.47. It comes in just about every flavor you could want. It has a 5-star rating on Amazon, with all but one review giving it 5 full stars.
(I still prefer to curl up with a good hardcover book)
Fresh, Engaging... and Thought-Provoking
There's something super cool about a book so fresh that it references things that just happened earlier this year, and change that is happening right now.
Erik puts it all in context in the first 3 chapters and explains how social media is not a "time suck" or an insane distraction - as some of us initially thought, myself included - but rather a more efficient and deeper way to communicate.
I found myself nodding along the whole way, and really seeing the bigger picture - outside of online business and internet marketing. How social media is changing the way we talk, shop, learn, share... and even vote.
I can say firsthand that social media has changed my relationships with my friends, my children and even my mother. We still talk on the phone or sit down to dinner together, but it's no longer a conversation of "how was your day?" or "what's new in your life?" - because we already know.
Even if you barely know me on a personal level you probably know that my house got rolled on Halloween, I just bought a 4WD Jeep (and what color it was), that I have a good sense of humor 😀 , I've been reading Socialnomics, etc.
So what, right? The big argument has been... who cares what everyone else is doing, and how can I possibly keep up with everyone else's life and their daily updates?
You don't necessarily. Care or keep up, that is - or not with everyone at least, and not every minute. But you can filter updates by relationship, check in any time any day and see what your friends and family are up to via their profiles & update streams, or do a 2-second search to find specific conversations.
There's a sense of transparency about social media that opens a million doors. Not just for marketing purposes, but for communication and relationships.
My stepdaughter knew that I was out dancing with her English teacher (oops!), I know who my teens are dating or talking to, and relatives who live far away get a daily glimpse into our lives without the hour-long phone calls every week.
"It's not a 9-to-5 world, it's a 24/7 world."
In Chapter 3 Erik discusses "the fluid schedule" and finding balance between gadgets, updates and real life. While some may feel this makes you less connected and less productive, it's actually exactly opposite.
You no longer have to sit in front of the television for an entire hour twice a day to get the news. You can select what type of news you want, and have it delivered to you instantly the minute the story breaks.
You no longer have to research products online for hours - you can get recommendations and links to peer reviews in a matter of minutes.
You no longer have to go it alone. You have the entire world at your fingertips - no matter where you are, no matter what time of day it is.
Social Media Marketing: Embracing The Change
I've really enjoyed Socialnomics from a personal perspective, but it also addresses brand marketing and social media success stories. Erik gives very specific examples of social media campaigns - and why they worked (or flopped).
How do you get loyal raving fans, and get them to talk about your brand online? That's exactly what you'll learn. "Consumers are taking ownership of brands, and their referral power is priceless." (page 97)
Traditional marketing methods simply don't work in the social media space. And in addition to changing the message and the method, there's a whole new world of possibilities available thanks to this changing landscape. Be sure to check out what Erik has to say about Ebooks in Chapter 5...
The entire book is chock full of thought-provoking idea generators, from how to harness the power of the growing social media graph... to integrating advertising and monetization seamlessly into your content.
Socialnomics is fresh, current, and a must-read for anyone marketing anything online - less than 20 bucks, and definitely a smart investment in your business and your social media marketing plan (especially if you don't yet have one!).
My opinion? You're going to LOVE this book.
If you've been feeling out of the loop, or frustrated by social media options and opportunities that you don't really understand, sit down with a copy of Socialnomics and enjoy the ride... You'll be up to speed in no time. 😉
Best,
p.s. You can read editorial reviews and consumer reviews on Amazon.com, and also flip through several pages of the book using their Look Inside! feature.
Grab a copy for yourself, and make sure you subscribe to the Internet Marketing This Week podcast as we'll have Erik Qualman on as a special guest next week.
Another video by Erik, on the ROI of Social Media Marketing... Enjoy!
About Lynn Terry
social media is really not a fad
@ orkut scraps,
not fad? why is that so?
I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts in more detail, too. I agree with you of course, but would love to hear your thinking on the topic...
coz I think it doesnt have a short live... I am not a marketing specialist.. but still i think its the future of online marketing specially MLM
sorry for late replying... 🙂
@Essay Writing and Lynn
I must admit that I know very little about social media. I know that I should be getting more involved in it, but with a steady job and my internet marketing on the side (posting to my blogs, building new websites, tweaking old ones) I find that I have little time left!
Social Media has been a big part of my exposure & marketing plan, across all of my niche sites. It's definitely worth learning and integrating.
I like to promote my blog through social media. My favorite social networking site is SU. I get some amount of traffic from SU when I submit my blog post to SU. The algorithm of SU is really nice.
Do you use other social media properties as well, or StumbleUpon only? Other than making the option/button available on my blog posts, I haven't really used it. I don't stumble my own content is what I mean.
Twitter & Facebook have been my focus. Getting engaged and interacting there with my target market...
Great review! This is one of the books on my Amazon wish list. Social media is amazing to me. Still have a lot to learn but boy it's done really great things for my business this year.
Thank you! and ditto - I'm seeing great results as well 😉
I don't utilize social media very well, but I tend to agree with one marketer that e-books (or in this case, Kindle) will never replace curling up by the fire with a good old-fashioned paperback novel.
I just ordered 3 new novels (a series) and a non-fiction book this morning. I do love my books. 😀
Lynn:
Thank you for the kind words and great review of my book! Having the support of a leader like you is flattering to say the least!
Thanks again,
Erik Qualman
Author of Socialnomics
I'm glad you enjoyed the review, Erik - thanks for stopping by.
I look forward to talking to you on the IMTW Podcast. Really glad you agreed to join us - Paul Colligan is a huge fan as well, and I imagine Ed Dale will have read Socialnomics by the time we have you on as a guest. 😉
At first glance this book looked like something I would not be interested in reading, however, after reading your review, I take that back. It is now on my reading/listening list.
I really enjoyed it, Pam. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on it too, once you've had a chance to read/listen. What's your preference for non-fiction: audio, kindle, hardcover?
Recently I wrote and article at my blog sharing ideas about a new approach to marketing online. The days of showing a product and hoping for a sale are long gone. Any marketer who is still using this tactic will soon find themselves way out of business. In today's world it is about connecting first. You must give your potential customer something of value and ask for nothing in return. You need to build trust first and the customer will come second. It's a whole new mindset and I believe social media a venue where we can begin to make this happen. I am going to pick up this book and read and highlight so I can continue to learn and earn.
Let me know what you think of it, Spencer. And do you have a link to that blog post? I'd love to read it. My recent post on the topic is a guest post you'll find here:
6 Ways to Stand Out From Social Media Noise
I think social media is NOW and the wave of the future. I believe Twitter and Facebook will evolve into something we can only begin to imagine now! I'm glad I'm in on it at the ground floor!
I agree Mary, and have been getting more and more involved with both this past year. Looking forward to seeing what's in store heading into the future!
Social Media Rocks!!
I am reading this book as well. Just in the first chapter and it is great already.
I cringe when my friends say that they don't need to be on facebook or don't care anything about it.
You'll really enjoy the rest of the book. 😉
There is so much more to social media than just online marketing. I enjoy it a lot from a personal perspective as well - keeping up with friends and family, finding old friends I'd lost touch with, making new friends, etc. Of course it's awesome for business exposure & marketing as well!
Most internet marketers use social media to be successful in their online business. Social media is our current trend nowadays. I'm pretty sure that in the near future, there will be more interesting social media that come our way.
Agree Jack - I'm seeing more and more opportunities for social media to enhance both my life and my business. Keeping my eyes peeled for new and exciting options on the social media landscape!
It's really amazing how social media works and I think that this book will help me understand more what social media is. Thank you for a very nice review.
Erik's videos are the best on the web. I'm totally impressed with them. Since seeing "Social Media Revolution" I've shown it to many friends and business associates. Top notch stuff. The statitistics are amazing and so well put together.
You are so right that traditional marketing methods will not work for social media. Writing techniques need to be far different than what we learned in school. Shorter paragraphs, more headings, and loads of attention grabbing content. To me it makes marketing on the internet more fun because we are able to show more personality and throw in a bit of authority.
Thanks for the great post. Always happy to see stuff about Erik Qualman. Erik rocks!
I agree - I definitely like the new social style of marketing much better than the traditional one-way methods. It gives you an opportunity to really engage with your target market and get involved in the conversation. Which ultimately makes you a much better marketer...
Very cool videos! 🙂 I watched the 'Did you Know' video before this, so I was kind of expecting the style of the first one 😛 Definitely, social media is becoming a more and more astounding, but it can sometimes feel a bit scary seeing the pace at which our lifestyles are changing. Have you ever missed traditionally communicating with your friends and family like in the old days, Lynn? 😉
Good question, Allen. I actually don't - if you're referring to the good old telephone. I'm not much of a phone person and never really have been. I really prefer the new style of communicating easily on our own terms (instead of being stuck in one spot -home- and tied to a conversation until it ends right then and there).
That said, I still go out to lunch, have people over, sit down to eat with my kids, etc. It's not like we have Thanksgiving Dinner over Facebook or anything -lol.
We'll be recording a new episode of the @IMTW Podcast this evening, and Erik Qualman will be joining us as a special guest to discuss Socialnomics and social media. Be sure to subscribe by your preference at the site so you don't miss this episode!
http://www.InternetMarketingThisWeek.com (aka @IMTW)
Hey Lynn, chatted with Tina Williams last night and she said I should connect with you! So here I am on your blog and what a great find - I buy every single social media book out there (yes - I've taken a speed reading course 10 years ago - it helps! and I'm a bit of a geek on research).
Thanks for the recommendation on this book - ordering it now! Cheers, Maria Gudelis
Great to meet you Maria! Tina is a gem 😉
You'll enjoy this book I bet. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on it given your insight from similar titles!
You bet - delivery from Amazon is in about 7 -10 days to Canada land...so will let you know after reading! Cheers, Maria
This site is a great find, and this post- Terrific. And now you can donwnload the book to an Iphone- and here's the question, isn't the smart phone THE way to stay connected to your social network now?
As for the "trend" or fundamental shift, I think it is a shift, not a trend. Why? Because no one likes to be "sold", but almost everyone likes to buy. Advertisements Sell. Traditional Marketing Sells. Social media marketing lets me buy.
Nice to meet you Lynn. I also blog over here at CharlotteCommunites and @TerryMcDonaldRE
Pleasure to meet you as well, Terry. Welcome to ClickNewz 😀
Not a fad. There is a quote my son always uses, "Technology amplifies our humanity". So, we have to take the good with the bad of the social networking tools. There will always be those that abuse a technology, it doesn't make the technology bad.
I love the quote - very well said 😉
Lynn, ack! I forgot to include a reference to a similar book I saw a fella reading on the train. Don't wanna spam your site. Thanks
Check out Relationship Economics by David Nour. It makes a good companion to Socialnomics as its focus is on "real world" relationships.
Just added it to my next order, SS - thanks!
"amplifies our humanity" or lack there of...I'm just starting my social media reading, here are my top picks for my Iphone- downloaded the Kindle app... which would Socialnomics or Relationship Economics knock off this list?
The New Community Rules by Tamar Weinberg.
The Whuffie Factor by Tara Hunt.
Trust Agents by Chris Brogan and Julien Smith.
Six Pixels of Separation by Mitch Joel
I have Trust Agents, but haven't had opportunity to read it yet. The others I don't have...