Social Media Books

Image result for likeable social mediaKerpen, Dave (2011) Likeable Social Media: How to Delight Your Customers, Create an Irresistible Brand, and Be Generally Amazing on Facebook (& Other Social Networks), McGraw-Hill Professional

A more recent version of this book is available

THE NEW YORK TIMES AND USA TODAY BESTSELLER!

The secret to successful word-of-mouth marketing on the social web is easy: BE LIKEABLE.

A friend’s recommendation is more powerful than any advertisement. In the world of Facebook, Twitter, and beyond, that recommendation can travel farther and faster than ever before.

Likeable Social Media helps you harness the power of word-of-mouth marketing to transform your business. Listen to your customers and prospects. Deliver value, excitement, and surprise. And most important, learn how to truly engage your customers and help them spread the word.

Praise for Likeable Social Media:

Dave Kerpen’s insights and clear, how-to instructions on building brand popularity by truly engaging with customers on Facebook, Twitter, and the many other social media platforms are nothing short of brilliant.
Jim McCann, founder of 1-800-FLOWERS.COM and Celebrations.com

Alas, common sense is not so common. Dave takes you on a (sadly, much needed) guided tour of how to be human in a digital world.
Seth Godin, author of Poke the Box

Likeable Social Media cuts through the marketing jargon and technical detail to give you what you really need to make sense of this rapidly changing world of digital marketing and communications. Being human ― being likeable ― will get you far.
Scott Monty, Global Digital Communications, Ford Motor Company

Dave gives you what you need: Practical, specific how-to advice to get people talking about you.
Andy Sernovitz, author of Word of Mouth Marketing: How Smart Companies Get People Talking

Table of Contents

PART I- Introduction How Did We Get Here so Quickly?;

Chapter 1: The Traditional Marketing Mix is Dead;

Chapter 2: From Internet 1.0 to 3.0 in 15 Years;

Chapter 3: What Are the Differences Between 1-Way Marketing & 2-Way Communication?;

Chapter 4: Like is the New Link: How Facebook is Reorganizing the Web;

Chapter 5: Beyond Facebook: How Important Are Other Social Networks?;

Chapter 6: What Does it Mean to Be Likeable?;

PART II- 18 Ways to Use Facebook & Social Media to Move the Needle;

Chapter 1: Listen First;

Chapter 2: Define Your Target Audience Better Than Ever Before;

Chapter 3: Think Like a Consumer;

Chapter 4: Convert Your Current Customers to Become Fans First;

Chapter 5: Engage! (The Difference Between Talking and Engaging);

Chapter 6: Respond Quickly to All of the Bad Comments;

Chapter 7: Respond to the Good Comments Too (and even to the indifferent ones if possible);

Chapter 8: Be Authentic (& even Vulnerable!);

Chapter 9: Be Transparent;

Chapter 10: Should You Ask a Lot of Questions?;

Chapter 11: Provide Value;

Chapter 12: Share Stories;

Chapter 13: Inspire Your Customers to Share Stories;

Chapter 14: Integrate Facebook into the Entire Customer Experience;

Chapter 15: Use Social Ads Carefully & Efficiently;

Chapter 16: Admit When You F―K Up – & then Leverage It;

Chapter 17: Consistently Deliver Value, Excitement & Delight;

Chapter 18: Sell;

PART III- Applying the Rules: The Details on Each Network;

Chapter 1: Facebook: 500 million people can’t be wrong;

Chapter 2: Twitter: Real-time consumer engagement;

Chapter 3: YouTube: If a picture tells a thousand words, what can a video do?;

Chapter 4: Foursquare: Reaching Your Customers Where They Are;

Chapter 5: LinkedIn: From 1 Professional To Another…;

Chapter 6: The Blogosphere: It’s a Mad, Mad (Blogger) World;

Chapter 7: Flickr, MySpace, & the Thousands of Other Social Networks Out There;

PART IV- Conclusion: Always be Likeable, and Your Customers Will Chase You


Qualman, Erik (2012) Socialnomics: How Social Media Transforms the Way We Live and Do Business, Second Edition, John Wiley & Sons

The benchmark book on to the effects and implications of social media on our daily lives, and how businesses can harness its powerSocialnomics is an essential book for anyone who wants to understand the implications of social media on our daily lives and how businesses can tap the power of social media to increase their sales, cut their marketing costs, and reach consumers directly. In this revised and updated second edition, author Erik Qualman presents new material based on meeting with 75 Fortune 1000 companies, 50 colleges and universities, and over 100 small businesses & non–profits since the first edition. Qualman′s materials have been used from IBM to NASA to Harvard to local businesses.

  • Lists the top ten easy opportunities that companies and organization miss when it comes to social media
  • Describes where social media should reside in an organization and the necessary building blocks for success
  • Explains why over 50 percent of companies still block social media to their employees and why this is a detriment to success
  • Shares proper training methods for your ENTIRE organization on social media; not just the chosen few
  • Reviews the top companies, organizations and individuals using social media, explaining what separates them from other companies and how to replicate their success

Social media can transform your business and your relationship with consumers. Discover what social media can do for you, and what you can do for others while using social media.


Evans, L. (2010) Social Media Marketing: Strategies for Engaging in Facebook, Twitter & Other Social Media, Que

Download Sample Chapter 6 (PDF 18,828KB)

Profit Big from Social Media: Strategies and Solutions That Work!

Using new social media marketing techniques, you can deepen relationships with your most passionate, profitable customers–and create more of them than ever before! In this 100% practical book, world-renowned expert Li Evans shows exactly how to make the most of social media–in any company, in any industry. You’ll discover exactly how to customize your best social networking strategy…then staff it, organize it, manage its risks, and execute it successfully! Evans shows how to understand your audience, enter the conversation, build trust, protect your brand, integrate social media into existing marketing programs, measure your results…and profit big from today’s hottest new social media sites and platforms!

Topics include

• Make the most of Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, Flickr, and more

• Define goals and customize strategy to maximize Return on Conversation (ROC)

• Understand the whole conversation about you and all the communities you serve

• Manage legal, compliance, and ethical challenges

• Plan social media policies for your company’s employees

• Extend customer service into social media

• Maintain consistent branding and messaging

• Complement your SEO, PPC, offline marketing, and PR efforts

• Learn how to integrate traditional marketing tactics (TV, radio, print) with your social media marketing strategy

Table of Contents

Part I: The Basics of Social Media

1          It’s Not Easy, Quick, or Cheap     7

2          Understanding Social Media Strategies     15

3          Goals Need to Be Defined     23

4          It’s ROC (Return on Conversation) not ROI (Return on Investment)     33

5          Know Who Your Audience Is and What They are Doing     41

Part II: It’s About Conversation

6          The Conversation Happens With or Without You     53

7          Bring in Legal Early     59

8          Don’t Be Afraid of the Negative     67

9          Understanding Each Community     75

10        Come Bearing Gifts     83

11        Bloggers Have No Boundaries     91

12        Every Business is Different     99

13        Don’t Fall In Love     105

14        Don’t Be Afraid to Throw Out What Isn’t Working     113

15        Be Open to Trying New Things (but Don’t Fall Off the Bleeding Edge)     121

Part III: Social Media from the Inside Out

16        Everyone in Your Company Has a Stake in Your Social Media Strategy     129

17        Plan Social Media Policies for Company Employees     135

18        Personal Ethics Matter     143

19        Define Who Owns the Conversation     149

20        A Great Customer Service Program Is a Natural Extension into Social Media     159

21        Interns Make Coffee, Not Social Media Strategies     165

22        Branding and Messaging Need to Be Consistent     171

23        Be Transparent: Trust and Readership Must Be Earned     179

24        Audiences Trust Icons and Avatars     187

Part IV: It’s Not About You

25        Give Up Control and Drop the Ego     195

26        You Need to Be All “Ears”     203

27        Your Customers Know Your Products Better Than You     211

28        It’s All About the Idea     219

29        Your Content Must Have Value     225

30        Sharing with Others Is Key     231

31        For It to Work, You Need to Be Social     239

32        Ask the Audience     245

33        You Get What You Give     253

Part V: How Social Media Fits into the Online Marketing Picture

34        People Do Not Want To Be Marketed To     261

35        The Difference Between Buzz Monitoring and Audience Research     267

36        Complementing Both Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Pay Per Click (PPC)     273

37        Links and Search Engine Results Are Byproducts of Social Media     279

38        Align Offline Marketing Strategies with Social Media     285

39        Create a Social Media-Friendly “Pressroom” and Promote Events     291

40        YouTube is the Second-Largest Search Engine     297

41        Social Search Is All About the Now     303

42        It’s Not Just a Web Browser Anymore     309

43        New Signals to Search Engines     315

44        Choosing a Social Media Consultant     321

45        Putting It All Together     327


Fox, V. (2012) Marketing in the Age of Google: Your Online Strategy is Your Business Strategy, John Wiley and Sons, Inc.

Companion Web Site: http://www.vanessafox.com/the-book/

A more recent version of this book is available

Search has changed everything. Has your business harnessed its full potential?A business’s search strategy can have a dramatic impact on how consumers interact with that business. But even more importantly, search engine activity provides amazingly useful data about customer behavior, needs, and motivations. In this non-technical book for executives, business owners, and marketers, search engine strategy guru Vanessa Fox—who created Google’s portal for site owners, Google Webmaster Central—explains what every marketer or business owner needs to understand about search rankings, search data, comprehensive search strategies, and integrating your strategy into the businesses processes.

  • Updated statistics, tools, and recommendations
  • Details about the latest changes from Google, Bing, and the overall search landscape
  • Explanation and recommendations related to Google’s substantial new search algorithm, know as “Panda”
  • Discussion of the changing landscape of the integration of search and social media, including the addition of Google+ to the mix

Traditional marketing isn’t enough anymore. Businesses need to evolve as customer behavior evolves. Marketing in the Age of Google shows you how.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 How Search Has Changed Your Business 1Chapter 2 How to Use Search Data to Improve Your Business and Product Strategy 25

Chapter 3 How We Search 67

Chapter 4 Building Searcher Personas: Opening the Door to the Crowd of Customers You’ve Been Keeping Out 89

Chapter 5 How Search Engines Work 111

Chapter 6 Implementing an Effective Search Strategy 139

Chapter 7 Working with Developers: How to Turn Business Strategy into Tech Speak 157

Chapter 8 How to Cut through the Data and Get the Actionable Metrics You Need 171

Chapter 9 Social Media and Search 185

Chapter 10 What’s Next?: Beyond Google and 10 Blue Links 213


Sterne, Jim (2010) Social Media Metrics: How to Measure and Optimize Your Marketing Investment (New Rules Social Media Series), John Wiley and Sons, Inc.

The only guide devoted exclusively to social media metricsWhether you are selling online, through a direct sales force, or via distribution channels, what customers are saying about you online is now more important than your advertising. Social media is no longer a curiosity on the horizon but a significant part of your marketing mix.

While other books explain why social media is critical and how to go about participating, Social Media Metrics focuses on measuring the success of your social media marketing efforts. Success metrics in business are based on business goals where fame does not always equate to fortune. Read this book to determine:

  • Why striving for more Twitter followers or Facebook friends than the competition is a failing strategy
  • How to leverage the time and effort you invest in social media
  • How to convince those who are afraid of new things that social media is a valuable business tool and not just a toy for the overly–wired

Knowing what works and what doesn′t is terrific, but only in a constant and unchanging world. Social Media Metrics is loaded with specific examples of specific metrics you can use to guide your social media marketing efforts as new means of communication.

Filling a key need for serious online marketers, Social Media Metrics gives you an A–Z guide to using data to drive your social media marketing efforts. Inside you′ll find how best to assess your Twitter and Facebook followings (hint: more is not always better), how to maximize your social media ROI, how to use social media metrics to effectively make your case to skeptics, and much more. Filled with the numbers that matter and specific examples of how to use them, Social Media Metrics equips you to successfully market on the social Web.

“Jim Sterne has been at the cutting edge of this industry since before there even was an industry. If you′re focused on measurement, you need his take on it.”
Seth Godin, author, Linchpin

“Companies know they must have a social strategy, yet when approaching emerging technologies, measuring ROI is a challenge. Thankfully, we′ve got Social Media Metrics, in which Jim provides actionable frameworks and how–tos. This is a desktop reference that professionals should keep in close reach.”
Jeremiah Owyang, Web strategist

“Jim Sterne has been in the business of teaching us how to measure the immeasurable for fifteen years. With this wonderful book, he brings his wisdom to the problem du jour: social media. In a faith–based medium, you′ll learn how to be data driven!”
Avinash Kaushik, author, Web Analytics 2.0

Table of Contents

Introduction: Getting Started―Understanding the Ground Rules.Chapter 1 Getting Focused―Identifying Goals.

Chapter 2 Getting Attention―Reaching Your Audience.

Chapter 3 Getting Respect―Identifying Influence.

Chapter 4 Getting Emotional―Recognizing Sentiment.

Chapter 5 Getting Response―Triggering Action.

Chapter 6 Getting the Message―Hearing the Conversation.

Chapter 7 Getting Results―Driving Business Outcomes.

Chapter 8 Getting Buy–In―Convincing Your Colleagues.

Chapter 9 Getting Ahead―Seeing the Future.

Appendix: Resources.


Zarrella, D. (2010) The Social Media Marketing Book, O’Reilly Media Inc

Download eBook PDF – Chapters 1 to 3 (PDF KB)

Author’s web site: http://danzarrella.com/

Are you looking to take advantage of social media for your business or organization? With easy-to-understand introductions to blogging, forums, opinion and review sites, and social networks such as Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn, this book will help you choose the best — and avoid the worst — of the social web’s unique marketing opportunities.
The Social Media Marketing Book guides you through the maze of communities, platforms, and social media tools so you can decide which ones to use, and how to use them most effectively. With an objective approach and clear, straightforward language, Dan Zarrella, aka “The Social Media & Marketing Scientist,” shows you how to plan and implement campaigns intelligently, and then measure results and track return on investment. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or new to the social web, this book will take you beyond the jargon to social media marketing mastery.

  • Make sense of this complicated environment with the help of screenshots, graphs, and visual explanations
  • Understand the history and culture of each social media type, including features, functionality, and protocols
  • Get clear-cut explanations of the methods you need to trigger viral marketing successes
  • Choose the technologies and marketing tactics most relevant to your campaign goals
  • Learn how to set specific goals for your campaigns and evaluate them according to key performance indicators

Praise for The Social Media Marketing Book:
“Let Zarrella take you to social-media marketing school. You’ll learn more from reading this book than a month of research on the Internet.”–Guy Kawasaki, co-founder of Alltop.com
“If I could be any other person for a day, it would be Dan Zarella. Either him or Brad Pitt. But Dan’s smarter. This book is why I say that.”–Chris Brogan, President of New Marketing Labs
“This book demonstrates a beginning to the endless possibilities of the Social Web.”– Brian Solis, publisher of leading marketing blog PR 2.0

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Introduction;

1.1 What Is Social Media Marketing?;

1.2 Big Brands and Social Media;

1.3 Small Business and Social Media;

1.4 Social Media and You;

Chapter 2: Blogging;

2.1 Introduction;

2.2 History;

2.3 Protocol;

2.4 Platforms;

2.5 Content Strategies;

2.6 Building an Audience;

2.7 Takeaway Tips;

Chapter 3: Twitter and Microblogging;

3.1 Introduction;

3.2 History;

3.3 Protocol;

3.4 Clients;

3.5 Takeaway Tips;

Chapter 4: Social Networking;

4.1 Introduction;

4.2 History;

4.3 Protocol;

4.4 Facebook;

4.5 LinkedIn;

4.6 MySpace;

4.7 Takeaway Tips;

Chapter 5: Media Sharing;

5.1 Introduction;

5.2 History;

5.3 Protocol;

5.4 YouTube;

5.5 Flickr;

5.6 SlideShare;

5.7 Takeaway Tips;

Chapter 6: Social News and Bookmarking;

6.1 Introduction;

6.2 History;

6.3 Protocol;

6.4 Digg;

6.5 Reddit;

6.6 StumbleUpon;

6.7 Delicious;

6.8 Niche Sites;

6.9 Takeaway Tips;

Chapter 7: Ratings and Reviews;

7.1 Introduction;

7.2 History;

7.3 Protocol;

7.4 Yelp;

7.5 Other Sites;

7.6 Takeaway Tips;

Chapter 8: Forums;

8.1 Introduction;

8.2 History;

8.3 Protocol;

8.4 Research;

8.5 Engaging;

8.6 Takeaway Tips;

Chapter 9: Virtual Worlds;

9.1 Introduction;

9.2 History;

9.3 Second Life;

9.4 Takeaway Tips;

Chapter 10: Strategy, Tactics, and Practice;

10.1 Introduction;

10.2 Monitoring;

10.3 Research;

10.4 Campaigns Versus Ongoing Strategy;

10.5 Integration;

10.6 Calls to Action;

10.7 Takeaway Tips;

Chapter 11: Measurement;

11.1 Introduction;

11.2 Metrics;

11.3 Goal Setting;

11.4 Software;

11.5 Takeaway Tips;

  • Chapter 1: Introduction
  • Chapter 2: Blogging
  • Chapter 3: Twitter and Microblogging
  • Chapter 4: Social Networking
  • Chapter 5: Media Sharing
  • Chapter 6: Social News and Bookmarking
  • Chapter 7: Ratings and Reviews
  • Chapter 8: Forums
  • Chapter 9: Virtual Worlds
  • Chapter 10: Strategy, Tactics, and Practice
  • Chapter 11: Measurement