In a medium that changes every day, best practices from a year ago aren’t going to cut it. So it’s a good thing that new books on social media are rolling out all the time. Here are 5 to catch you up for the school year.
Social Media Metrics: How to Measure and Optimize Your Marketing Investment (New Rules Social Media Series) – Jim Sterne and David Meerman Scott
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… 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.
Engage: The Complete Guide for Brands and Businesses to Build, Cultivate, and Measure Success in the New Web – Brian Solis
Engagement is shaped by the interpretation of its intentions. In order for social media to mutually benefit you and your customers, you must engage them in meaningful and advantageous conversations, empowering them as true participants in your marketing and service efforts… There are thousands of customers waiting to hear from you about your business and vision. It’s the minimum ante to create a vibrant and loyal online community. When you engage, you will build an authoritative social network that increases your visibility, relevance, influence, and profitability. It’s time to Engage!
Preorder these next three and they’ll arrive by the time you get through Solis & Sterne.
The Social Media Bible: Tactics, Tools, and Strategies for Business Success – Lon Safko
The Social Media Bible, Second Edition (www.TSMB2.com) is the most comprehensive resource that transforms the way corporate, small business, and non-profit companies use social media to reach their desired audiences with power messages and efficiency. In this Second Edition, each of the three parts – Tactics, Tools, and Strategies – have been updated to reflect the most current social media trends.
Social Media ROI: Managing and measuring social media efforts in your organization – Olivier Blanchard
No abstract available yet for this book, but Olivier is well known for his no-nonsense advice on ROI calculation. I’m sure the book will be a valuable resource for businesses that want to know exactly what they are getting out of their social media efforts.
The Social Media Management Handbook: Everything You Need To Know To Get Social Media Working In Your Business – Robert Wollan and Nick Smith
The Social Media Management Handbook provides a complete toolbox for defining and practicing a coherent social media strategy. It is a comprehensive resource for bringing together such disparate areas as IT, customer service, sales, communications, and more to meet social media goals. Wollan and Smith and their Accenture team explain policies, procedures, roles and responsibilities, metrics, strategies, incentives, and legal issues that may arise.
Alternatively, you could follow David Meerman Scott around and take notes…it all ends up in a book eventually.
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photo: RLHyde
*Book abstracts via Amazon.