Even though social media is an online medium, there have been hundreds of books written on proper social media marketing and etiquette. While many are repetitive and state the same type of information that can be found in almost any online social media marketing beginner’s guide, there are a few books that stand out as insightful guidebooks by experts who know how social media should be used in business.
Socialnomics: How Social Media Transforms the Way We Live and Do Business, by Erik Qualman
This book explains the way that social media is changing not only the way that businesses can find new customers, but also how people communicate at a basic level. Tying in the basic concepts of this new vital communication medium with emerging and applicable business strategies make this book worth its reasonable price.
No Bullshit Social Media: The All-Business, No-Hype Guide to Social Media Marketing, by Jason Falls and Erik Deckers
A book with an expletive in the title is sure to get attention. And this book delivers. With real case studies and no-nonsense, straightforward advice, this book focuses on goals and results instead of all the fluff that comes from traditional marketing gurus attempting to make social media fit into their old methods.
Likeable Social Media: How to Delight Your Customers, Create an Irresistible Brand, and Be Generally Amazing on Facebook (And Other Social Networks), by Dave Kerpen
Dave Kerpen offers an easy approach to marketers and businesspeople that have little knowledge and experience with social media. While not a complete beginners guide, this book is easy to read and the content is highly digestible. Dave’s background as a successful social media marketer for several well-known companies shows that he knows what he is talking about in Likeable Social Media.
UnMarketing: Stop Marketing, Start Engaging, By Scott Stratten
Scott is a well-known social media expert, and it’s no surprise– UnMarketing explains why it is so important to start treating customers on social media as real people, not potential targets or sells. Engagement brings in a much return on investment than many hard-hitting traditional advertising methods.
Permission Marketing: Turning Strangers Into Friends and Friends Into Customers, by Seth Godin
Even though this book isn’t directly about social media (especially since it was published in 1999), the ideas are still revolutionary for its time and can definitely apply to social media marketing today. Seth explains the concepts behind gaining customers’ trust instead of inundating them with advertisements.
Do you have any to add to the list? If so, let us know in the comments below.
Reading a book seems very low tech in this current digital age. But don’t underestimate the words on a physical page.