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The Social Media Bible a How-to that's Darn Right
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Information overload is on overdrive. Open any in-box, website, newspaper or magazine and there are countless offers, webinars and classes promising to unlock the secrets of social networking. The Social Media Bible by Lon Safko and David K. Brake is 821 pages of solid, easy to comprehend “tactics, tools and strategies.”
The focus of the tome is on social media networking in the business realm. But the practical side of each section is perfect for the philistines among us. We have heard all the terminology but it is Greek to most of us; except to those from Greece of course. Humorous and intelligent, the authors do not speak down to the reader or imply that the reader is a “dummy.”
Chapter 5, “It’s Not Your Father’s Email, belies the fact that anyone including parents in their 70s and 80s, may pick up this book and learn how to maximize the Internet for personal as well as business. The Internet has widened the gaps between generations with its tech-speak decipherable by geeks and those under the age of 35. Floundering attempts to learn this new and mystical language are at an end from the turn of the first page.
According to the authors, “The Social Media Bible is actually three books in one. Part One discusses social media tactics such as; what’s a podcast, a vlog, or a tweet. Part Two is a reference book of more than 100 of the top social media companies, worldwide. And, Part Three is strategic; and asks the reader to animalize their business, marketing, sales, and develop a social media strategy that’s right for them and business.”
Each chapter covers a topic from definition to the ultimate use. Proficient at surfing the web and emailing but that is where the experience and expertise ends for many of us. We know we want to and need to know more. Blogs are ubiquitous to but how do you create one? Chapter 8 takes you through the process step-by-step. Chat rooms and forums are part of every website and blog but how does one participate and what is the purpose of participating? Chapter 7 makes fast work of chatting and not for securing a date though it may be helpful for this as well.
With the job market as tight as a miser clutching his last dollar, those in search of work must be proficient at using the tools that are the ABC’s of business today. Classified ads are cryptic at best but add in SEO, SEM, Livecasting and RSS and the confusion is palpable. Learn the new basics and you will have a better chance at snagging one of the few jobs available until the tide turns and the economy perks up considerably.
Marketing practices through the Internet are a focus of The Social Media Bible and the raison d’être for all this networking. Bottom line, sell more through connecting more and use the tools available to create efficiency and efficacy. It is easy to get lost on the web as one click leads to another and before you know it hours have passed and little or no results have been attained.
Googling™ people and companies is a must today. The Social Media Bible recommends Googling™ oneself to see what information is out there in the public eye. And Google isn’t the only suggestion; the authors include a healthy group of sites to check on one’s status in the stratosphere. Prospective employers will search for you on the Internet the same as you research them. Don’t be blind-sided by what’s out there. Knowledge is power and you will better explain the video of yourself on YouTube if you’ve seen it first.
It has been asked over centuries, “if a tree falls in the forest and nobody hears it does it make a sound?” Similarly, if you create a blog, website, podcast or vlog and nobody knows about it is it really there? The Social Media Bible outlines strategies for getting the word out, driving traffic to your site, Facebook page, Twitter, MySpace, YouTube and LinkedIn profile among others.
Safko and Brake explore every niche of the social media discussion supplying explanations, instructions, strategies linking each chapter and section resulting in a well-constructed and comprehensive resource that should be kept close at hand for reference. They have wrestled the behemoth to the ground, tamed it, and made it democratic, just as the Internet has always purported to be but never was due to its secret language so alien to most of us. The story doesn’t stop with the book. There is a website that is updated constantly, expanding its information along with the accelerated orbit of the World Wide Web.
About the Authors
Lon Safko has founded eight companies including Paper Models, Inc during the past 20 years. His expertise includes entrepreneurship, marketing, sales, strategic partnering, speaking, training, writing, and e-commerce.
David Brake has worked with authors to publish best selling business, information technology and science books for Times Mirror, Prentice Hall, and McGraw-Hill. He specializes in assisting publishers and authors through innovative technology.
The Social Media Bible
Published 2009 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
ISBN 978-0-470-41155-1
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