Product Description

From Facebook and YouTube to blogs and Twitter–ing, social media on the Internet is the most promising new way to reach customers. "Marketing to the Social Web, Second Edition" helps marketers and their companies understand how to engage customers, build customer communities, and maximize profits in a time of marketing confusion. Author and social media guru Larry Weber describes newly available tools and platforms, and shows you how to apply them to see immediate results and growth. The core message is that rather than broadcast messages to audiences, savvy marketers should encourage participation in social networks to which people want to belong, where dialogue with customers, and between customers, can flourish.

This new second edition includes three entirely new chapters that cover recent changes in the field including:

– how companies can measure the influence and effectiveness of their social media campaigns;

– how marketing to mobile social media will grow in the near future;

– how Facebook will monetize its business and one day surpass Google.

Marketing must reach out into new forms, media, and models. Marketing to the Social Web, Second Edition presents an exceptional opportunity to use these new tools and models to reach new markets, even in today′s fragmented media environment.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #78640 in Books
• Published on: 2009-03-13
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 272 pages

From the Inside Flap

An updated and expanded Second Edition of the popular guide to social media for the business community

Marketers must look to the Web for new ways of finding customers and communicating with them, rather than at them. From Facebook and YouTube to blogs and Twitter–ing, social media on the Internet is the most promising new way to reach customers. Marketing to the Social Web, Second Edition helps marketers and their companies understand how to engage customers, build customer communities, and maximize profits in a time of marketing confusion. Author and social media guru Larry Weber describes newly available tools and platforms, and shows you how to apply them to see immediate results and growth.

Rather than broadcast messages to audiences, savvy marketers should encourage participation in social networks to which people want to belong, where dialogue with customers, and between customers, can flourish. Networking sites like MySpace, Facebook, and even Flickr are the perfect forums for this dialog; this book shows you how to tap into this new media.

In addition to the tools and tactics that made Marketing to the Social Web a critical hit among marketers, this Second Edition includes three entirely new chapters that cover recent changes in the field. These new chapters explain how Facebook will monetize its business and one day surpass Google; how companies can measure the influence and effectiveness of their social media campaigns; and how marketing to mobile social media will grow into an effective practice in the near future.

Marketing must reach out into new forms, media, and models. Marketing to the Social Web, Second Edition presents an exceptional opportunity to use these new tools and models to reach new markets, even in today′s fragmented media environment.

From the Back Cover

Praise for the First Edition of MARKETING TO THE SOCIAL WEB:

"We′ve been liberated! Communicating with existing and potential customers used to mean one–way broadcasts of your company′s product messages—′buy buy buy′ we all said. But Marketing to the Social Web enables smart marketers to communicate in a much better way: by creating compelling content that people actually want to consume and interact with. Larry Weber knows his stuff—he′s been part of this revolution from the beginning."
—David Meerman Scott, bestselling author of The New Rules of Marketing and PR

"I was pleased to read a book that actually suggests how to do something with social networks, instead of just ponder them. Larry′s pragmatic and useful recommendations will help brand builders manage the complexity of social interaction in a digital age."
—David Kenny, Chairman and CEO, Digitas, Inc.

"Consumers are using technology to grab power from companies, the media, and the government. Marketing to the Social Web succinctly outlines the revised rules of engagement."
—George F. Colony, CEO, Forrester Research, Inc.

"Most marketers are fascinated by, yet apprehensive of the new power of customers as they organize on the social Web. Larry Weber walks you through the mindset, strategies, and tools needed to succeed in this new environment."
—Charlene Li, coauthor of Groundswell

"Weber provides a simple and effective road map of the new customer information highway. Marketing to the Social Web is a valuable tool that will give everyone the confidence and know–how to compete in this fast–growing marketplace of ideas and conversation."
—Steve Harris, Vice President, Global Communications, General Motors Corporation

"As all lines and boundaries are washed away by the Web, Weber describes how to become part of the sea versus the sand."
—Nicholas Negroponte, Chairman, One Laptop Per Child

About the Author

Larry Weber has spent the last three decades building global communications companies, including Weber Shandwick Worldwide and the W2 Group. He is also the founder and Chairman of the Massachusetts Innovation and Technology Exchange, the nation′s largest interactive advocate association.

Customer Reviews

Marketing guide for online communities
At first glance, this is yet another cover of a familiar tune: Get online because it is the next big thing! Hurry, hurry! However, within a few pages author Larry Weber introduces the one thing missing from most of these refrains: hard data. He provides statistics that document precisely how the marketing landscape is changing, then goes on to analyze what this information means for business. Almost as refreshing, Weber is careful to point out where information does not exist, often calling for new metrics or a software tool that will give statistical substance to the visceral understanding of Web-savvy marketers. Weber reviews case studies that demonstrate approaches that have worked, as well as some glorious and instructive failures. He builds on these to develop a set of principles and tactics readers can use to develop a realistic strategy for online marketing. getAbstract recommends his book to established businesses that wish to get into online marketing and to all would-be Internet entrepreneurs.

Does what it says on the tin
Many of the leading books like The Cluetrain Manifesto have a tone and viewpoint that is at best preachy towards marketers and at worst downright hostile. Marketing and the libertarian belief system at the centre of the web community from the EFF to the blogosphere seem to be diametrically opposed. Its kind of like that Bill Hicks sketch that starts off `marketers kill themselves'.

Marketing to the Social Web - How digital customer communities build your business by Larry Weber is less of a lecture berating marketers and more like a discussion over beer and pretzels. Weber contextualises the online environment and explains where marketers should get involved, including strategies for successful participation. The book is written in an accessible manner and made excellent reading on the tube.

Another Book for the Establishment
This book although it has some good content, is too tedious to get through. I lost interest halfway through, as there is too much generic padding which could have been improved with better editing. Good title but unfortunately that is not enough.