A lot of people think that social media is a trend. A fad to fade. Or at least that was the whisper up until this last year… when it became obvious that social media was here to stay.
There’s a lot more to social media than collecting friends and promoting your blog posts or products. Social media is changing the way we do business, and the way we live.
See this quick 4+ minute video by Erik Qualman discussing whether social media is a fad – or the biggest shift since the industrial revolution…
I picked up a copy of Socialnomics by Erik Qualman (aka @equalman on Twitter) last month, and have been reading it off and on for the last few weeks. I’d love to just sit down and read it all the way through in one sitting, but it’s been a busy month so I’ve been absorbing half a chapter here and there every chance I got.
You can get Socialnomics on audible, get it for the Kindle, or you can get a hardcover copy at Amazon for only $16.47. It comes in just about every flavor you could want. It has a 5-star rating on Amazon, with all but one review giving it 5 full stars.
(I still prefer to curl up with a good hardcover book)
Fresh, Engaging… and Thought-Provoking
There’s something super cool about a book so fresh that it references things that just happened earlier this year, and change that is happening right now.
Erik puts it all in context in the first 3 chapters and explains how social media is not a “time suck” or an insane distraction – as some of us initially thought, myself included – but rather a more efficient and deeper way to communicate.
I found myself nodding along the whole way, and really seeing the bigger picture – outside of online business and internet marketing. How social media is changing the way we talk, shop, learn, share… and even vote.
I can say firsthand that social media has changed my relationships with my friends, my children and even my mother. We still talk on the phone or sit down to dinner together, but it’s no longer a conversation of “how was your day?” or “what’s new in your life?” – because we already know.
Even if you barely know me on a personal level you probably know that my house got rolled on Halloween, I just bought a 4WD Jeep (and what color it was), that I have a good sense of humor 
, I’ve been reading Socialnomics, etc.
So what, right? The big argument has been… who cares what everyone else is doing, and how can I possibly keep up with everyone else’s life and their daily updates?
You don’t necessarily. Care or keep up, that is – or not with everyone at least, and not every minute. But you can filter updates by relationship, check in any time any day and see what your friends and family are up to via their profiles & update streams, or do a 2-second search to find specific conversations.
There’s a sense of transparency about social media that opens a million doors. Not just for marketing purposes, but for communication and relationships.
My stepdaughter knew that I was out dancing with her English teacher (oops!), I know who my teens are dating or talking to, and relatives who live far away get a daily glimpse into our lives without the hour-long phone calls every week.
“It’s not a 9-to-5 world, it’s a 24/7 world.”
In Chapter 3 Erik discusses “the fluid schedule” and finding balance between gadgets, updates and real life. While some may feel this makes you less connected and less productive, it’s actually exactly opposite.
You no longer have to sit in front of the television for an entire hour twice a day to get the news. You can select what type of news you want, and have it delivered to you instantly the minute the story breaks.
You no longer have to research products online for hours – you can get recommendations and links to peer reviews in a matter of minutes.
You no longer have to go it alone. You have the entire world at your fingertips – no matter where you are, no matter what time of day it is.
Social Media Marketing: Embracing The Change
I’ve really enjoyed Socialnomics from a personal perspective, but it also addresses brand marketing and social media success stories. Erik gives very specific examples of social media campaigns – and why they worked (or flopped).
How do you get loyal raving fans, and get them to talk about your brand online? That’s exactly what you’ll learn. “Consumers are taking ownership of brands, and their referral power is priceless.” (page 97)
Traditional marketing methods simply don’t work in the social media space. And in addition to changing the message and the method, there’s a whole new world of possibilities available thanks to this changing landscape. Be sure to check out what Erik has to say about Ebooks in Chapter 5…
The entire book is chock full of thought-provoking idea generators, from how to harness the power of the growing social media graph… to integrating advertising and monetization seamlessly into your content.
Socialnomics is fresh, current, and a must-read for anyone marketing anything online – less than 20 bucks, and definitely a smart investment in your business and your social media marketing plan (especially if you don’t yet have one!).
My opinion? You’re going to LOVE this book.
If you’ve been feeling out of the loop, or frustrated by social media options and opportunities that you don’t really understand, sit down with a copy of Socialnomics and enjoy the ride… You’ll be up to speed in no time. 
Best,
p.s. You can read editorial reviews and consumer reviews on Amazon.com, and also flip through several pages of the book using their Look Inside! feature.
Grab a copy for yourself, and make sure you subscribe to the Internet Marketing This Week podcast as we’ll have Erik Qualman on as a special guest next week.
Another video by Erik, on the ROI of Social Media Marketing… Enjoy!
