The Social Media Junkie’s Amazon Wish List: 10 Great Books
By Rachel Tolle
Happy Cyber Monday! I hope everyone has found some magnificent deals. I have compiled a list of some of the best social media marketing books that are available today. If you are having a hard time coming up with the perfect gift for your social media junkie friend, worry no more.
You now have ten options. There’s a good chance that if your friend, family member, or yourself is, in fact, a “social media junkie” like me, they already know a lot about social media. You may even be thinking they couldn’t possibly learn anything from these books. Wrong!
You can always learn more. These would also be perfect gift ideas for people who are new to social media. Do you know a college student who is majoring in public relations, communications, or marketing? They will benefit from these books!
I won’t lie, and tell you I’ve read them all. I haven’t. I will tell you the truth – I wish I owned them all. In fact, I added the books I haven’t read to my Amazon Wish List! All of them have been rated between 4 and 5 stars on Amazon.com, and are all under $20. While you can’t take my word that the books are amazingly informational and educational, you can take the words of the hundreds of other people that have read, rated, and commented on these books.
- The New Rules of Marketing and PR: How to Use Social Media, Blogs, News Releases, Online Video, and Viral Marketing to Reach Buyers Directly, 2nd Edition by David Meerman Scott, $10.87.
- The Facebook Effect: The Inside Story of the Company That is Connecting the World by David Kirkpatrick, $14.16.
- Empowered: Unleash Your Employees, Energize Your Customers, and Transform Your Business, by Josh Bernoff, $18.45.
- Content Rules: How to Create Killer Blogs, Podcasts, Videos, Ebooks, Webinars (and more) That Engage Customers and Ignite Your Business by Ann Hadley, David Meerman Scott, C.C. Chapman, $15.64
- The Zen of Social Media Marketing: An Easier Way to Build Credibility, Generate Buzz, and Increase Revenue by Shama Kabani and Chris Brogan, $11.53.
- Inbound Marketing: Get Found Using Google, Social Media, and Blogs (New Rules Social Media Series) by Brian Halligan, Dharmesh Shah, and David Meerman Scott, 16.47.
- Socialnomics: How Social Media Transforms the Way We Live and Do Business by Erik Qualman, $11.53.
- The Social Media Bible: Tactics, Tools, and Strategies for Business Success by Lon Safko, $19.77.
- Groundswell: Winning in a World Transformed by Social Technologies by Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff, $9.66.
- Twitter Power 2.0: How to Dominate Your Market One Tweet at a Time by Joel Comm and Anthony Robbins, $10.54.
Now, here’s where you come in. Have you read any of these books? If so, let us know what you thought of them! If there are any books you think should be added to the list, let us know what they are, too!
6 Books For The Social Media Marketing Enthusiast
If you are looking for a book about social media to buy as a holiday gift or if you’re going to have some extra time over the Christmas break to curl up next to the fire and read, I’ve put together my list of current social media marketing favorites.
I am a voracious reader and would re-arrange deadlines to finish a compelling book! However, I am not a book reviewer/critic so this list includes my quick top line thoughts, not full blown reviews, you can find a ton of them on Amazon. I will be adding to this list regularly, and I’m always looking for the next great book, so feel free to share your favorites in the comments below.
The links are affiliate links back to Amazon.
Happy reading!
Trust Agents: Using the Web to Build Influence, Improve Reputation, and Earn Trust by Chris Brogan and Julien Smith
This is a great, easy read for anyone interested in finding out more about social media who is looking for a good primer on the subject. You won’t find anything new in here if you or the person you are buying it for are familiar with social media channels. That being said, Brogan and Smith make social media sound so chimp simple, I do think everyone should read it.
Crush It Why NOW Is the Time to Cash In on Your Passion, by Gary Vaynerchuk
Gary Vaynerchuk figured out how to take his personality and leverage social media tools to build his family’s retail wine business. At first I was a bit put off by his loud personality (you’ll “hear” it immediately when you start to read), but was won over by his work ethic. He’s 10,000 watts of entrepreneur. A great book for an entrepreneur, someone trying to build their personal brand or anyone even marginally interested in the how social media channels can help their small business.
The Anatomy of Buzz Revisited: Real Life Lessons in Word of Mouth Marketing, by Emanuel Rosen
I’ve heard Rosen speak at a couple of social media marketing seminars and he’s a marvelous story teller. This book continues in that tradition. This book was in the gift bag at the Word of Mouth Marketing Summit and I’m so glad that it was. A must read.
Twitterville: How Businesses Can Thrive in the New Global Neighborhoods, by Shel Israel
Again, like Emanuel Rosen, this is a guy who knows how to tell a story. Israel uses case studies to demonstrate how companies, many you’ll recognize, have leveraged Twitter to help their business explode.
Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us, by Seth Godin
It’s hard to beat Godin’s thinking on social media and how unconventional leaders can achieve unexpected greatness. He makes a compelling arguement that there are groups of people, “tribes”, who are looking for leadership. So stand up and lead. He section titled, “Should They Build A Statue of You” is of particular interest.
Crowdsourcing, Why The Power of the Crowd is Driving The Future of Business, by Jeff Howe
Jeff Howe is genius. Although I have to admit, I have a bias toward just about any reporter from Wired magazine. Howe coined the phrase “crowdsourcing” back in 2006 and his book explores how the collective brain-trust of the many can frequently achieve much more than the specialized few. Great storytelling. I had to pry this one from my boyfriend’s hands so I could read it first.
PHOTO CREDIT: “Naughty Librarians” by CheeseBikini
Seducing The Boy’s Club, Nina DiSesa
Nina DiSesa is an incredibly witty writer and shares some hilarious anecdotes about working in a jungle full of arrogant (no judgment!) creative (their saving grace) men. As Chairman of McCann Erickson New York, DiSesa plays den mother, dabbles in S&M(only in the sweetest way), seduces and manipulates to get her boys to perform for McCann Erickson’s lucky clients. Her true genius is that she figures out a way for both sides to win.
Crowdsourcing, Jeff Howe
Very intriguing book. Crowdsourcing describes the process of how the many can accomplish feats that were once only the province of the few. Jeff Howe, Wired magazine reporter, reports from the front lines of this revolution. A great read.
Book: Seducing The Boys Club
Nina DiSesa, chairman of McCann Erickson New York and author of Seducing The Boys Club, is my new hero. The book recounts her success managing a herd of wild and crazy ad men(and I use that term loosely) through out her career. My favorite story is about how she and a group of senior executives were stuck in Brazil. You’ll have to read it to find out how they get out, but just know that it involves manicures. We can all take a note from her book.
$156,000 Vinegar
Author Benjamin Wallace dives deep into the world of rare wines and the people who drink and covet them in his book, “The Billionaire’s Vinegar.” It is a fascinating inside look at the auction of what was claimed to be a 1787 bottle of Chateau Lafite Bordeaux owned by Thomas Jefferson. Wallace is a fantastic writer who brings the characters and their rarified world to life. If you are interested in the high end world of wine, this is the book for you. Hardcover about $25.
The Food Snob’s Dictionary
The Food Snob’s Dictionary is a great reference book for all things fine dining. David Kamp, who also authored The United States of Arugula, takes all of the confusion out those fancy words you find on restaurant menus. Hey, if you need to explain “Poulet de Bresse” and to friends, dates and clients, then this book is for you. We find it really helpful when talking to journalists who will forget more than we will ever know. About $12.
The Power of The Crowd Is Driving Business
In Crowdsourcing, a book by Wired journalist Jeff Howe, he talks about how companies like Threadless and IStockphoto only employ a handful of people yet make millions of dollars annually. Why? Because they rely on the power and creativity of the populace. A great, fast read for anyone interested in social media and how it’s transforming the way we do business.
Are You A Tribe Leader
In “Tribes” by Seth Godin, he warns us not to be a sheepwalker – someone who fights to protect the status quo and conversely he urges us to take the leadership role of a “tribe.” Godin is incredibly insightful about the possibilities of social media to change the world. Remember President Obama? He’s the ultimate tribal leader. Let’s try to live up to his example.
Inside Steve’s Brain
Leander Kahney’s book “Inside Steve’s Brain” is a great easy read on the creativity and detail of Steve Jobs. It is a testament to the detailed pursuit of perfection that has built Apple into one of this century’s most legendary success stories. The author has covered Jobs’ tantrums and bad behavior for many years, but focuses this book on what makes his so successful. A great easy read for anyone interested in analyzing success.
