3 Best Social Media Books to Read

Understanding how to get the most out of social media takes an expert. Here are three books by the leading experts in the field.

Likeable Social Media: How to Delight Your Customers, Create an Irresistible Brand, and Be Generally Amazing on Facebook (And Other Social Networks)

This is New York Times best-seller is all about achieving success through online word-of-mouth marketing around the simple premise of being likeable. The best recommendation for any product or service often comes from a friend. If you can get a network of friends to recommend a site or page than that's half the battle. This informative book provides helpful insight in how to tap into the power of this specialized form of marketing. The methods presented in this tome have been utilized with great success by such a diverse range of companies as 1-800-FLOWERS.COM and the Ford Motor Company.


Author Dave Kerpen is an expert in this field. As the cofounder the social media-marketing firm Likeable, Dave is among the brightest and most successful leaders in this industry. His tried and true methods have a proven track record of success and he is definitely someone you'll want to listen to for your own social media campaign.


The Social Media Bible: Tactics, Tools, and Strategies for Business Success

Presenting helpful information about social media campaigns means you need to stay ahead of the curve. The Social Media Bible is now in its updated third edition. Presented in this 700-page tome are all the important resources for big and small business to utilize the far reach of social media. With this updated edition you'll be able to find out how to bring in iPad users and apps, Foursquare and other location-targeted networks. Find out the latest about Google's every changing search engine algorithms. That information alone is worth buying this book!

500 Social Media Marketing Tips: Essential Advice, Hints and Strategy for Business: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, and More!

Yes, you read that right: This amazing text presents 500 social media marketing tips. Included in those tips are links to over 130 video tutorials which can greatly enhance your learning curve. Among the top social networks covered are Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+ and YouTube. The expert tips will show you how to build your brand and engage with customers. When you consider that 22% of all North American online activity is spent at sites like Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest than its clear this is a realm your business needs to tap into. 500 Social Media Marketing Tips will show you the way.

Is Pinterest a Must Have for Your Small Business?

Have you pinned your business yet? Many small businesses are turning to Pinterest as brand new way of effectively marketing their goods and services. Yes, it’s yet another social media network to manage but the difference is that Pinterest is simplified and direct. Basically, you’ll have the chance to tell the story of your company in pictures. In some cases, it might even prove to be a stronger resource than Facebook or Twitter because of its visual appeal. By some estimates, there are around 12 million visitors to Pinterest each month. That is certainly a great potential customer base that you can tap into.

How Does Pinterest Work?

The best way of thinking of Pinterest is to consider it like a huge visual bulletin board. Just as you would use a bulletin board in your office to post inspiring photos or images, you can use your Pinterest page to post product pictures, photos of your business or staff and even customer submissions. Pinterest is a true image generated site - if a picture is worth a thousand words then Pinterest is speaking in volumes!

Like Facebook, Pinterest users have the option to “follow” your page or re-pin that page. By doing that, they’ll be notified of every new post you “pin” up. It’s a way of instantly announcing new products, special sales or other important company news. The great thing is that the service is free. The only investment you make is in the images you create for that page and it’s a great way to build a community revolving around the visual topics.  

The Benefits of Pinterest

For a small business, Pinterest can provide a much needed boost. However, to get the most benefits you’ll have to keep the content fresh. As like any social media page, you must put up relevant and unique content that attracts the attention of your readers. You can’t just put up a page and hope people will find it. Attract more followers by following other Pinterest pages. Also make sure that you promote your Pinterest account on your website, emails and even other social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.  What you’re looking for is to be “re-pinned” by other users. This will help spread your message.

You can categorize your Pinterest page into specific groupings that might appeal to different types of customers. Because of the visual appeal of Pinterest, businesses that can show the results of their services or have appealing catalog shots of their products will benefit the most. It’s like ordering taste tempting treats based on a picture alone.

You can also educate your customers about your company through a visual presentation. The pages you set up can be as informative as you like. And you can drive all traffic back to your website through your postings.  As there is no expense with Pinterest, it makes sense to set up a page and keep it going just as you would with Facebook and/or Twitter. It’s another great way to reach out to your prospects online.