Marcus RichardsAnyone in the marketing game is fully aware of the intricacies as well as the necessity of implementing and maintaining a strong social media presence. Why is this the case? Social media is universal at this point. The nature of society and the internet has caused humans across the globe to make social media a part of their everyday lives. From personal enjoyment to connections and even work-related items, social media has wormed its way into many corners of life making it a wonderful inroad for any company attempting to get their wheels off the ground. Along similar lines, author and marketing expert, Danny Brown, highlighted one of the biggest reasons why social media marketing has become so popular, “90% trust peers on social networks (even strangers); only 15–18% trust brands.”
With this in mind, it is apparent why every company should be, at the very least, getting their feet wet in social media marketing. However, seeing as the concept is not only incredibly vast but also detailed, it stands to reason that many could use some direction on how to navigate social media marketing. In order to help with this exploration, we connected with a few experts who have offered up their best books on social media marketing.
Freakishly Effective Social Media for Network Marketing
Trey Ferro is the CEO of Spot Pet Insurance, a brand offering health insurance plans for pets. He believes a book written by a married couple is the way to go.
“No matter how much we dislike it, utilizing social media marketing to benefit our business is no straightforward process. Between the different platforms available as well as the niche details surrounding those platforms, it is incredibly easy to become overwhelmed just by dipping your toe in the proverbial water. Thankfully, Ray and Jessice Higdon have put together a book to help alleviate many of these issues. The title of the book alone should be enough to demonstrate what they’re offering here and if any amount of simplification can be applied to social media marketing, then that should absolutely be.”
Brand Storytelling: Put Customers at the Heart of Your Brand Story
Unhide specializes in wearable blankets. Their founder and CEO, Leo Livshetz, suggests looking at social media as more than a string of digital ones and zeros.
“The internet is an amazing tool, when used correctly. That being said, when misused, the internet is capable of tearing your business down. Which is why companies should not be content to simply stick their name on the webpages someone is viewing. The average consumer has evolved and that’s detailed in this book written by Miri Rodriguez. They want to be part of the brand in some fashion. On top of this, outsiders are far more likely to be trusting of real people over flashy graphics. If you’re really looking to make a splash online, this is the book for you.”
They Ask, You Answer
Along similar lines to the last book, this one also focuses on the dynamics of the customer and the internet. Hybrid2Go is a business providing battery replacements for hybrid vehicles. Their COO, Cole Steverson, considers this approach wise.
“With the way that social media marketing has evolved, it should be no surprise that many companies have neglected who their audience is and what they have to say. Metrics and data seem to dominate the landscape. For good reason too – they’ve been shown to work. However, this type of information aids that neglect. Author Marcus Sheridan emphasizes a way around this that he sums up in the title of his book, ‘They Ask, You Answer’”. I don’t know that a summary can be any clearer. Thankfully, he keeps the same clear communication throughout the book so you’d really have to try if you wanted to get lost.”
The Art of Social Media: Power Tips for Power Users
Joshua Chin is the CEO of Chronos Digital, a brand offering eCommerce marketing services.. He advises others to give consideration to a book written by Guy Kawasaki and Peg Fitzpatrick.
“Sometimes, regardless of the topic at hand, it is necessary to take a bit of a deep dive to gain further skill and understanding. The Art of Social Media: Power Tips for Power Users does just that for anyone who already has a run of the mill understanding of social media marketing. The idea behind the writing is to get the details across while also keeping them manageable mentally. One way the author does is this by going into specific techniques or practices to implement and why to implement them.
See You On The Internet: Building Your Small Business With Digital Marketing
Straight Up Growth specializes in helping customers sell their products on Amazon. Their co-founder, Daniel Tejada, believes this writing can prove impactful for anyone who takes the time to understand it.
“In my opinion, there’s no better person to get advice from in a specific area than one who has vast amounts of experience in said area. This is why I love the book written by Avery Swartz who is the CEO of Tech Camp. As evidenced by her job title, she’s been around the block and that experience is invaluable to anyone who has access to it. Do you know anything about the concept of social media etiquette as it relates to marketing? These are the kinds of things laid out in great care and simplicity.”
Content Marketing
7 Wonders is a business providing multimedia production agency. Their co-founder and executive producer is Michael Ayjuan while Stephen Skeel is also a co-founder and executive producer. Skeel proposes taking a look at the tactics employed by some of the most popular global brands.
“There’s a reason numerous companies follow in the footsteps of others when it comes to digital marketing – some tried and true methods are simply not going anywhere. If you’re looking to get your startup off the ground, then following in just a few of these footsteps could be just what you need to achieve liftoff. So what are these footsteps? They’re presented in the book Content Marketing by Gavin Turner. I’m not saying it’s a walk in the park to bring these to fruition, but once you do, you might thank the author.”
The Age of Influence
Kevin Miller is the founder of his own brand offering strategy sessions for marketing advice. He cautions others not to turn a blind eye to what has taken place with content creators in recent years and instead, heed the words of author Neal Schaffer.
“I think at this point the idea of ‘Content is king’ has become somewhat of an adage. There’s no beating around the bush with content, it’s here to stay and has shown that it can be a driving force in your growth. Within the idea of content exists content creators – people who make a living through their social media accounts. I urge anyone working in social media marketing to take advantage of the information in this book because it can be a real powerhouse.”
Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die
Arka specializes in eco-friendly packaging options for retailers to use with their products. Their co-founder, Dawn Kendall, considers a book with a unique perspective on social media marketing to be highly influential to any reader.
“We’ve seen first hand over the last few years that social media has this way of hitching itself to an idea or topic and running with it until it seems like the wheels are going to fall off. Why is this? Your answer awaits in the book written by Chip and Dan Heath. The two guide the reader through past events where social media played a vital role and why it was effective for doing so. It may sound abstract as it relates to social media marketing but knowing how to make topics appear and be discussed online is at the core of this endeavor.”
Social media is here to stay and will continue to be a large player in the future of business. Just as the business world changed with the presence of the internet, people must do the same with their social media marketing. Author Seth Godin put it best, “Marketing is no longer about the stuff that you make, but about the stories you tell.”
