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Socialnomics: How Social Media Transforms the Way We Live and Do Business
A fascinating, research-based look at the impact of social media on businesses and consumers around the world, and what's in store for the future Social Media. You've heard the term, even if you don't use the tools. But just how big has social media become? Social media has officially surpassed pornography as the top activity on the Internet. People would rather give up their e-mail than their social network. It is so powerful that it is causing a macro shift in the way we live and conduct business. Socialnomics charts this shift from the forefront. Brands can now be strengthened or destroyed by the use of social media. Online networking sites are being used as giant, free focus groups. Advertising is less effective at influencing consumers than the opinions of their peers. If you aren't using social media in your business strategy, you are already behind your competition. Socialnomics is an essential book for anyone who wants to understand the implications of social media, and how businesses can tap the power of social media to increase their sales, cut their marketing costs, and reach consumers directly.
265 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2009
134 people are currently reading
2003 people want to read
About the author
Erik Qualman
20 books64 followersCalled a Digital Dale Carnegie, Erik Qualman is the author of Socialnomics: How social media transforms the way we live and do business. Socialnomics made Amazon's #1 Best Selling List for the US, Japan, UK, Canada, Portugal, Italy, China, Korea and Germany. His book Digital Leader helped him be voted the 2nd “Most Likeable Author in the World” behind Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling. He also holds the Guinness Book of World Record with a team for the longest continuous podcast. He's the inventor of the bestselling family board game Kittycorn.
In 2023 Qualman gave the commencement address at Michigan State University.
Socialnomics was a finalist for the "2010 Book of the Year" award by the American Marketing Association. Qualman produced "Social Media Revolution," the most viewed social media video series in the world, which has been used by NASA to the National Guard. Fast Company Magazine listed him as a Top 100 Digital Influencer.
Qualman has recently given international keynotes with the following: Coach, Sony PlayStation, National Restaurant Association, IBM, Facebook, SCG Thailand, ADP, National Bank of Canada, Credit Union League, Starbucks, M&M/Mars, Cartier, Small Business League, Raytheon, Chrysler, Home Furnishings Association, Montblanc, TEDx, Polo, Small Business League, UGG, Nokia, Google, AutoTrader and more. Qualman gave the commencement address to the 2011 graduating class of McCombs Business School (University of Texas).
Qualman has been highlighted in numerous media outlets including 60 Minutes, The New York Times, WSJ, Mashable, USA Today, ABC News, Financial Times, Forbes, Fortune, CBS News, and The Huffington Post. He has been fortunate to share the stage with Julie Andrews, Al Gore, Tony Hawk, Sarah Palin, Jose Socrates (Prime Minister of Portugal), Alan Mulally, James Carville, and others.
Qualman is a Professor at Northwestern University. For the past 18 years, Qualman has helped grow the digital capabilities of many companies, including Cadillac, EarthLink, EF Education, Yahoo, Travelzoo, and AT&T. He is the founder and owner of socialnomics.com, which PC Magazine ranks as a Top 10 Social Media Blog. He sits on the Boards of Manumatix, Bazaarvoice Inc., and WannaBeeSocial. Qualman holds a BA from Michigan State University and an MBA from The University of Texas.
In 2011 Qualman was honored as the Michigan State Alum of the Year, and in 2012 he was selected as one of the Top 50 Professors in the world. He was Academic All-Big Ten in basketball at Michigan State University and still finds time to follow his beloved Spartans while living in Boston with his wife and two daughters.
In 2023 Qualman gave the commencement address at Michigan State University.
Socialnomics was a finalist for the "2010 Book of the Year" award by the American Marketing Association. Qualman produced "Social Media Revolution," the most viewed social media video series in the world, which has been used by NASA to the National Guard. Fast Company Magazine listed him as a Top 100 Digital Influencer.
Qualman has recently given international keynotes with the following: Coach, Sony PlayStation, National Restaurant Association, IBM, Facebook, SCG Thailand, ADP, National Bank of Canada, Credit Union League, Starbucks, M&M/Mars, Cartier, Small Business League, Raytheon, Chrysler, Home Furnishings Association, Montblanc, TEDx, Polo, Small Business League, UGG, Nokia, Google, AutoTrader and more. Qualman gave the commencement address to the 2011 graduating class of McCombs Business School (University of Texas).
Qualman has been highlighted in numerous media outlets including 60 Minutes, The New York Times, WSJ, Mashable, USA Today, ABC News, Financial Times, Forbes, Fortune, CBS News, and The Huffington Post. He has been fortunate to share the stage with Julie Andrews, Al Gore, Tony Hawk, Sarah Palin, Jose Socrates (Prime Minister of Portugal), Alan Mulally, James Carville, and others.
Qualman is a Professor at Northwestern University. For the past 18 years, Qualman has helped grow the digital capabilities of many companies, including Cadillac, EarthLink, EF Education, Yahoo, Travelzoo, and AT&T. He is the founder and owner of socialnomics.com, which PC Magazine ranks as a Top 10 Social Media Blog. He sits on the Boards of Manumatix, Bazaarvoice Inc., and WannaBeeSocial. Qualman holds a BA from Michigan State University and an MBA from The University of Texas.
In 2011 Qualman was honored as the Michigan State Alum of the Year, and in 2012 he was selected as one of the Top 50 Professors in the world. He was Academic All-Big Ten in basketball at Michigan State University and still finds time to follow his beloved Spartans while living in Boston with his wife and two daughters.
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October 9, 2009
The ShamWow guy writes a book!! Socialnomics is terribly written. Erik Qualman has the resume to write a book about social media, but it seems that Socialnomics was rushed to market, slanted entirely to shine a positive light on businesses that use social media, and makes wild, almost giddy, claims about the potential for social media to enhance the business of love, life, and prosperity in the near future. The overriding problem I have with this book is that it's completely unbalanced. If social media was a single company, then Qualman would be its chief salesman and cheerleader, and Socialnomics its quarterly report. Some good ideas within, yes, but a strong bias.
The book outlines how a business can leverage the power of social media to compete in rapidly changing economies. The book was written for business purposes, so I'll only review it to that single topic, but think of the important, interesting topics he's left off the table. The use of social media to produce healthier profits is probably the easiest measure of its effectiveness, but he never goes near thorny ethical questions, how social media could change our culture in negative ways, indeed, he never mentions any nefarious results of the world's transition to social media that will necessarily occur, that always occurs, with a complete, worldwide, revolutionary shift to new technology.
This book was rushed to market. It had to be. Any book that details social media is almost completely outdated within 9 months. A generation in social media is probably 18 months. So, to compete with other books on the subject, Socialnomics had to be current; to be current, it had to be on bookstands within weeks of the last edit. I appreciate that the book was available in September 2009 and included data from early summer 2009. However, with that speed, it skipped a few crucial rounds with an editor. It's written at a fourth grade level with, maybe, a few compound sentences, multiple spelling errors, and many paragraphs throughout that end—not start—with a topic sentence. He overuses the superlative to sell the benefits of social media. If you want to read a better book on social media's potential, I recommend Groundswell, even though it's a generation older, published in 2007.
The author's voice has an almost childlike eagerness, full of wonder, a pervasive salesman's tone. Qualman's message is like a carnival huckster, like the ShamWow guy. I envision him with a boom mike dictating his book to an iPhone while exercising at the gym, updating his Tumblr blog, buying airline tickets, and laughing at photos on Failblog. He makes outrageous claims like social media causes less internet confusion (20), makes you a better parent (52), and makes for a richer workplace experience (232). Sure, that may be true for some people some of the time, but that's merely an usupported hypothesis with no hard data. Qualman almost 'wills' these claims to be true, just by sheer force of Wow, Qualman can make social media answer the economy's problems.
Qualman also uses screwy, unsupported logic to prove a point. He claims that the average voter spends 2 hours voting, when instead, if they used social media (a voting capability he considers right around the corner), they could remain at work making an average $16/hour. He then multiplies the number of voters by $32, and extrapolates a savings of millions and millions of dollars (84). He makes an error of sunk cost. Are all voters taking time away from work to vote? Are all voters on a clock or salaried? Would all workers necessarily be at work during those 2 hours? Another scenario finds him describing how Ebooks will make tracking library inventory easier, lead to fewer lost books, ultimately saving taxpayers millions of dollars a year (17). Qualman also claims that if you burn your finger, you could blog your network, secure a remedy, and be on your way (100). Come on folks, if you burn your finger are you going to blog it or put ice on it?
Social media is new. It's still virginal, and relatively innocent. Users are still having fun with it. Socialnomics does not address the eventual misuse of social media; the exploitation, the photographic extortion, the stealing of personal identity, the soft, pallid, underbelly of crime that eventually invades like contagion all new technologies. Instead, he describes nothing but positives. He's determined to prove that Obama was elected president entirely because of his prowess and control of social media (61-87). He states that voter turnout for 2008 was higher than anytime since 1908—all because of the use of social media (79), surely not because of a historically fractured political tapestry, an 8 year war, or the energy surrounding the first black man and the first woman as potential presidents, etc. No, it was ostensibly because social media excited the voter. He makes the absurd claim (239) that the ubiquity of social media will force people to lead 'cleaner lives' as humans, adults, and citizens, and that social media rewards first class behavior and punishes improper behavior (240). Huh? Has that been the trend so far with porn, online gambling, and identity theft?
I don't recommend Socialnomics. However, I highly recommend the 263 second video that Qualman created to advertise the book, http://socialnomics.net/2009/08/11/st.... It's a hard-hitting video that basically distills the most important points in the 265 page book. Watch the video, and there's no need to read the book.
The book outlines how a business can leverage the power of social media to compete in rapidly changing economies. The book was written for business purposes, so I'll only review it to that single topic, but think of the important, interesting topics he's left off the table. The use of social media to produce healthier profits is probably the easiest measure of its effectiveness, but he never goes near thorny ethical questions, how social media could change our culture in negative ways, indeed, he never mentions any nefarious results of the world's transition to social media that will necessarily occur, that always occurs, with a complete, worldwide, revolutionary shift to new technology.
This book was rushed to market. It had to be. Any book that details social media is almost completely outdated within 9 months. A generation in social media is probably 18 months. So, to compete with other books on the subject, Socialnomics had to be current; to be current, it had to be on bookstands within weeks of the last edit. I appreciate that the book was available in September 2009 and included data from early summer 2009. However, with that speed, it skipped a few crucial rounds with an editor. It's written at a fourth grade level with, maybe, a few compound sentences, multiple spelling errors, and many paragraphs throughout that end—not start—with a topic sentence. He overuses the superlative to sell the benefits of social media. If you want to read a better book on social media's potential, I recommend Groundswell, even though it's a generation older, published in 2007.
The author's voice has an almost childlike eagerness, full of wonder, a pervasive salesman's tone. Qualman's message is like a carnival huckster, like the ShamWow guy. I envision him with a boom mike dictating his book to an iPhone while exercising at the gym, updating his Tumblr blog, buying airline tickets, and laughing at photos on Failblog. He makes outrageous claims like social media causes less internet confusion (20), makes you a better parent (52), and makes for a richer workplace experience (232). Sure, that may be true for some people some of the time, but that's merely an usupported hypothesis with no hard data. Qualman almost 'wills' these claims to be true, just by sheer force of Wow, Qualman can make social media answer the economy's problems.
Qualman also uses screwy, unsupported logic to prove a point. He claims that the average voter spends 2 hours voting, when instead, if they used social media (a voting capability he considers right around the corner), they could remain at work making an average $16/hour. He then multiplies the number of voters by $32, and extrapolates a savings of millions and millions of dollars (84). He makes an error of sunk cost. Are all voters taking time away from work to vote? Are all voters on a clock or salaried? Would all workers necessarily be at work during those 2 hours? Another scenario finds him describing how Ebooks will make tracking library inventory easier, lead to fewer lost books, ultimately saving taxpayers millions of dollars a year (17). Qualman also claims that if you burn your finger, you could blog your network, secure a remedy, and be on your way (100). Come on folks, if you burn your finger are you going to blog it or put ice on it?
Social media is new. It's still virginal, and relatively innocent. Users are still having fun with it. Socialnomics does not address the eventual misuse of social media; the exploitation, the photographic extortion, the stealing of personal identity, the soft, pallid, underbelly of crime that eventually invades like contagion all new technologies. Instead, he describes nothing but positives. He's determined to prove that Obama was elected president entirely because of his prowess and control of social media (61-87). He states that voter turnout for 2008 was higher than anytime since 1908—all because of the use of social media (79), surely not because of a historically fractured political tapestry, an 8 year war, or the energy surrounding the first black man and the first woman as potential presidents, etc. No, it was ostensibly because social media excited the voter. He makes the absurd claim (239) that the ubiquity of social media will force people to lead 'cleaner lives' as humans, adults, and citizens, and that social media rewards first class behavior and punishes improper behavior (240). Huh? Has that been the trend so far with porn, online gambling, and identity theft?
I don't recommend Socialnomics. However, I highly recommend the 263 second video that Qualman created to advertise the book, http://socialnomics.net/2009/08/11/st.... It's a hard-hitting video that basically distills the most important points in the 265 page book. Watch the video, and there's no need to read the book.
July 25, 2013
They key takeaways from this book are:
1.Businesses no longer control their brands, customers now own them.
2.Social media is about a two way conversation, not selling or advertising to the customer. The organizations that realize this are experiencing tremendous success while many caught measuring marketing based on traditional metrics are being left behind.
3. Social Media is bringing together product development and marketing. It is forcing businesses to provide high quality products and services and pay attention to customer feedback.
4. Integration of social networks is allowing consumers to not only research product reviews, but it is allowing consumers to quickly seek out reviews from within their own network leading to a dramatic shift in how consumers make buying decisions.
5. Businesses that are embracing the collaboration of networks without restrictions are providing a much better customer experience relative to companies that prefer to control how information is shared and keep things exclusive.
6. Social media is about connecting multiple networks each serving it's own purpose. Businesses that want to remain independent are being left behind.
These are just some of my high level takeaways. This book is filled with a great understanding of how Social Media is changing the overall business landscape with great real world examples of how companies are succeeding under new business rules. I would highly recommend this book to anyone that wants to further their understanding of how business can best embrace Social Media into their corporate culture.
1.Businesses no longer control their brands, customers now own them.
2.Social media is about a two way conversation, not selling or advertising to the customer. The organizations that realize this are experiencing tremendous success while many caught measuring marketing based on traditional metrics are being left behind.
3. Social Media is bringing together product development and marketing. It is forcing businesses to provide high quality products and services and pay attention to customer feedback.
4. Integration of social networks is allowing consumers to not only research product reviews, but it is allowing consumers to quickly seek out reviews from within their own network leading to a dramatic shift in how consumers make buying decisions.
5. Businesses that are embracing the collaboration of networks without restrictions are providing a much better customer experience relative to companies that prefer to control how information is shared and keep things exclusive.
6. Social media is about connecting multiple networks each serving it's own purpose. Businesses that want to remain independent are being left behind.
These are just some of my high level takeaways. This book is filled with a great understanding of how Social Media is changing the overall business landscape with great real world examples of how companies are succeeding under new business rules. I would highly recommend this book to anyone that wants to further their understanding of how business can best embrace Social Media into their corporate culture.
September 14, 2009
Erik Qualman, in taking on a relatively new field, does a commendable job in laying out what social networking and social media are all about, something few people -- other than those who study it -- can really wrap their heads around. Likewise, because the subject matter is something that's probably shifting in communication more rapidly than almost anything, Qualman notes time and again that the ever-changing landscape will require those who embrace it to remain nimble and current.
But where Qualman seems to fall short is in distancing himself from a role as cheerleader and finding a more objective voice to describe not only the value of "socialnomics," but the pitfalls inherent in it. That's especially true for businesses that don't fall into "physical product" camps, or for those who tend to cater to an older audience. Qualman can't be singled out on this count; most people who write about social media seem to direct their assessments to markets that cater to the young, who are most active in social networking. Sure, that group is significant and most involved with Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, YouTube, social bookmarking and other areas of social expression over the Internet. But that just means that Qualman and other authors in this field need to delve a little deeper in order to determine the longer-term value in social networking.
If Qualman could tone down his enthusiasm for social networking as a business tool just a hair, and ramp up his research into its impact for all demographics and business types over a longer time, then I think he'd have a more compelling story.
Bottom line: Good start; waiting for a better finish.
But where Qualman seems to fall short is in distancing himself from a role as cheerleader and finding a more objective voice to describe not only the value of "socialnomics," but the pitfalls inherent in it. That's especially true for businesses that don't fall into "physical product" camps, or for those who tend to cater to an older audience. Qualman can't be singled out on this count; most people who write about social media seem to direct their assessments to markets that cater to the young, who are most active in social networking. Sure, that group is significant and most involved with Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, YouTube, social bookmarking and other areas of social expression over the Internet. But that just means that Qualman and other authors in this field need to delve a little deeper in order to determine the longer-term value in social networking.
If Qualman could tone down his enthusiasm for social networking as a business tool just a hair, and ramp up his research into its impact for all demographics and business types over a longer time, then I think he'd have a more compelling story.
Bottom line: Good start; waiting for a better finish.
March 20, 2012
Interesting topic, but poorly written.
I can think of two main reasons:
(1) The book is VERY repetitive, ie. social media is a game changer - OK, we get it, but how exactly? For instance, the chapter summaries at the end are highly unnecessary, since the chapter itself is a summary and quite soapy.
(2) His analyses almost never go beyond his assurances or conclusions, very vague in general. You can tell he knows a lot on the issue but his knowledge doesn't come across as clearly as he thinks it does, mainly because he neglects quite a lot of numbers, hard facts, references to main parameters that would have helped the reader to understand his reasoning.
(3) He should have skipped the sociological insights, what he says is not different than any other guy on the street would say on the matter.
This could have been a 10-pager, and would have been much better off. If anything, social media (ie. Twitter) teaches us to condense our thoughts into more meaningful shorter versions. His ambition to cover all fails him, as his take on the subject ends up barely touching the surface of the social media phenomenon we see today..
I can think of two main reasons:
(1) The book is VERY repetitive, ie. social media is a game changer - OK, we get it, but how exactly? For instance, the chapter summaries at the end are highly unnecessary, since the chapter itself is a summary and quite soapy.
(2) His analyses almost never go beyond his assurances or conclusions, very vague in general. You can tell he knows a lot on the issue but his knowledge doesn't come across as clearly as he thinks it does, mainly because he neglects quite a lot of numbers, hard facts, references to main parameters that would have helped the reader to understand his reasoning.
(3) He should have skipped the sociological insights, what he says is not different than any other guy on the street would say on the matter.
This could have been a 10-pager, and would have been much better off. If anything, social media (ie. Twitter) teaches us to condense our thoughts into more meaningful shorter versions. His ambition to cover all fails him, as his take on the subject ends up barely touching the surface of the social media phenomenon we see today..
June 20, 2012
Is Social media a fad? Or the biggest shift since the Industrial Revolution?
Well… consider this:
Over 50% of the world’s population is under 30 years old.
96% of Millennials have joined a social network.
Facebook tops Google for weekly traffic in the US.
Social media has surpassed pornography as the #1 activity on the web.
1 out of 8 couples married in the US met via social media.
It took over 13 years to reach 50 million users of television, but less than ONE year to reach 200 million Facebook users.
If Facebook were a country, it would be the third largest country in the world.
YouTube is the second largest search engine in the world.
Kindle eBooks outsold paper books on Christmas. ~GASP~
Do any of those data points interest you? Well if they caught your attention, then Socialnomics might be an eBook you’d be interested in. It’s a very informative and fact-based reading on the social media revolution.
I became interested in this topic shortly after Facebook went public. Well that and the fact I had to do a presentation on this just recently… I actually found the statistics quite staggering. I’m a business major, so simply throw some numbers at me along with a few consumer buying behaviors, commercial trends and overall social behavior and I’m hooked. My nerd roots immediately reveal themselves.
All kidding aside, it was interesting to see how social media has changed how we interact with society and how companies are using the various social media facets to connect with consumers in a whole new way. Is it a fad or here to stay? Well, despite my recent social media fatigue, I highly doubt it’s going anywhere.
If reading this book seems a bit too daunting for your taste, but the factoids above interest you, I highly suggest viewing this YouTube vid that provides a perfect synopsis of Socialnomics. I’ve watched it at least a dozen times and have recently used it in a presentation to drive home the true impact of social media. Oh and if someone can tell me the name of the background music, I’ll thank you kindly. I’d like to download it if possible.
Watch this!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aconj...
Well… consider this:
Over 50% of the world’s population is under 30 years old.
96% of Millennials have joined a social network.
Facebook tops Google for weekly traffic in the US.
Social media has surpassed pornography as the #1 activity on the web.
1 out of 8 couples married in the US met via social media.
It took over 13 years to reach 50 million users of television, but less than ONE year to reach 200 million Facebook users.
If Facebook were a country, it would be the third largest country in the world.
YouTube is the second largest search engine in the world.
Kindle eBooks outsold paper books on Christmas. ~GASP~
Do any of those data points interest you? Well if they caught your attention, then Socialnomics might be an eBook you’d be interested in. It’s a very informative and fact-based reading on the social media revolution.
I became interested in this topic shortly after Facebook went public. Well that and the fact I had to do a presentation on this just recently… I actually found the statistics quite staggering. I’m a business major, so simply throw some numbers at me along with a few consumer buying behaviors, commercial trends and overall social behavior and I’m hooked. My nerd roots immediately reveal themselves.
All kidding aside, it was interesting to see how social media has changed how we interact with society and how companies are using the various social media facets to connect with consumers in a whole new way. Is it a fad or here to stay? Well, despite my recent social media fatigue, I highly doubt it’s going anywhere.
If reading this book seems a bit too daunting for your taste, but the factoids above interest you, I highly suggest viewing this YouTube vid that provides a perfect synopsis of Socialnomics. I’ve watched it at least a dozen times and have recently used it in a presentation to drive home the true impact of social media. Oh and if someone can tell me the name of the background music, I’ll thank you kindly. I’d like to download it if possible.
Watch this!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aconj...
December 28, 2009
Excellent book that focuses on the power of social media such as Twitter, facebook, YouTube, etc. Qualman discusses how with the advent of social media, we went from "word of mouth to world of mouth" when it comes to sharing our opinions about a product. The author also looks at social media user behaviour, Obama's success using social media to help him win the election, and proves that most people care more about what their neighbours and co-workers think rather than what Google thinks. He also looks at possible upsides and downsides of Twitter and what's the next step in marketing a product to people. (use of social media) Qualman uses a lot of examples to illustrate his points. I highly recommend this book to anybody who's interested in social media and how they can possibly use sites like Twitter for their business.
April 9, 2011
My review:
Twitter, facebook, blogging, where is this all taking us? How could we take an advantage of this new inexpensive opportunity to expand business, market, awareness (you know name it).
Social media had become a huge part of my life and many others. Therefore it is a great marketing opportunity for all businesses (because of reach and exposure). But since it is a new medium, businesses are wondering how to use this medium. This book helps all businesses to put their first footsteps on social media successfully. It is a guideline on how to create a social media campaign. The book offers some social media campaigns of well-known companies and the results of it. For companies that believe social media is a fad, the author does a great job convincing these companies of the importance of advertising on social media.
One of the topics in this book that caught my attention was how he predicts the future of publishing companies and books. According to Erik Qualman, there will be "advertising via hyperlink placements within e-books." How exciting? That will draw more people into reading e-books. Now, I don’t know if the hyperlinks are already taking place since I don’t read e-books.
Towards the end of the book, Erik Qualman, creates a list of people who are must-be-followed on twitter. Most of them are tech-savvy, authors and basically are successful in the social media world. Personally, I prefer recommendations in books to continue my education and learning on social media and this whole new world.
We all use it but not learn it.
I recommend this book for the following people:
· Marketers
· Tweeps
· Bloggers
· Fan page operators on Facebook
· Teachers
· Business owners
· And YOU!
I seriously did enjoy this book. It was written in a very simple language for everyone to understand and it made social media so much interesting because it is in real life. And for someone who eats and breath social media, this book was so informative and opened the doors on new, fresh trends and information that I never knew of from before.
Twitter, facebook, blogging, where is this all taking us? How could we take an advantage of this new inexpensive opportunity to expand business, market, awareness (you know name it).
Social media had become a huge part of my life and many others. Therefore it is a great marketing opportunity for all businesses (because of reach and exposure). But since it is a new medium, businesses are wondering how to use this medium. This book helps all businesses to put their first footsteps on social media successfully. It is a guideline on how to create a social media campaign. The book offers some social media campaigns of well-known companies and the results of it. For companies that believe social media is a fad, the author does a great job convincing these companies of the importance of advertising on social media.
One of the topics in this book that caught my attention was how he predicts the future of publishing companies and books. According to Erik Qualman, there will be "advertising via hyperlink placements within e-books." How exciting? That will draw more people into reading e-books. Now, I don’t know if the hyperlinks are already taking place since I don’t read e-books.
Towards the end of the book, Erik Qualman, creates a list of people who are must-be-followed on twitter. Most of them are tech-savvy, authors and basically are successful in the social media world. Personally, I prefer recommendations in books to continue my education and learning on social media and this whole new world.
We all use it but not learn it.
I recommend this book for the following people:
· Marketers
· Tweeps
· Bloggers
· Fan page operators on Facebook
· Teachers
· Business owners
· And YOU!
I seriously did enjoy this book. It was written in a very simple language for everyone to understand and it made social media so much interesting because it is in real life. And for someone who eats and breath social media, this book was so informative and opened the doors on new, fresh trends and information that I never knew of from before.
January 9, 2017
Best takeaways from the book -
Gave example that bp could have managed the crisis better by pointing the finger at itself rather than have someone pointing at them. For the younger generation, there will be a shift towards mobile consumption, paving the way for an always on world.
Blogs are one of the best way for corporate to create incoming traffic. But they are alot of work to maintain. Social media rewards those who work hard to create relationships, rather than those with most money.
There is a strong demand for podcast, especially in commuting countries and places where people demand heavily on public transport. For small business owner, just starting to use social media, the steps he can take are to (1) listen, (2) interact, (3) react and (4) soft sell out.
Future of social media lies in data aggregation and the sharing of this information with social graphs. What have my friends purchased, which services have been rated highly. See this as a substitute for search engine. Social commerce could be the next big thing, as an improved version of word of mouth. People care and value more about what their friends think, rather than what google think.
The individual should harvest the use of social media as it permits the person to be connected as never before. It should not be seen as a waste of time, but rather something that allows someone to be productive. For companies, using social media puts them in a position of greater accountancy. Users can better feedback publicly to them.
Winners are socialnomics are: companies that deliver value, entrepreneurial talent, consumers.
Losers are: undisciplined individuals, companies that act slowly and deliberately, middlemen, search engines, traditional media, companies that rely heavily on traditional marketing.
The book puts the obvious together and shows how important social media is.
Gave example that bp could have managed the crisis better by pointing the finger at itself rather than have someone pointing at them. For the younger generation, there will be a shift towards mobile consumption, paving the way for an always on world.
Blogs are one of the best way for corporate to create incoming traffic. But they are alot of work to maintain. Social media rewards those who work hard to create relationships, rather than those with most money.
There is a strong demand for podcast, especially in commuting countries and places where people demand heavily on public transport. For small business owner, just starting to use social media, the steps he can take are to (1) listen, (2) interact, (3) react and (4) soft sell out.
Future of social media lies in data aggregation and the sharing of this information with social graphs. What have my friends purchased, which services have been rated highly. See this as a substitute for search engine. Social commerce could be the next big thing, as an improved version of word of mouth. People care and value more about what their friends think, rather than what google think.
The individual should harvest the use of social media as it permits the person to be connected as never before. It should not be seen as a waste of time, but rather something that allows someone to be productive. For companies, using social media puts them in a position of greater accountancy. Users can better feedback publicly to them.
Winners are socialnomics are: companies that deliver value, entrepreneurial talent, consumers.
Losers are: undisciplined individuals, companies that act slowly and deliberately, middlemen, search engines, traditional media, companies that rely heavily on traditional marketing.
The book puts the obvious together and shows how important social media is.
July 16, 2011
Erik Qualman is a very passionate individual who has been involved in online marketing for over 15 years now. His latest book ‘Socialnomics’ is in essence a timely book and a must read for anyone that has not taken advantage of using social media to leverage in the business field.
Even with his busy schedule, he makes sure he practices what he preachers. After getting hold of his book, whenever I wrote to him on twitter (@equalman), he would always send me a reply and that shows a man with dedication and an understanding in the social media field.
So onto his book which is a pretty easy read, first thing I noticed while doing a speed-read was the methodical way in which he has a summary at the end of each chapter. This book is a fun read and also one where we can learn some tips on improving our ways in which we use social media. So having a ‘key points’ summary really adds value to this book.
The first chapter gives us the importance of going from ‘word of mouth to world of mouth’. I like his subtitle on page 9 where he says ‘we no longer search for the news-it finds us’. Five years back I wouldn’t agree with that but how things have changed.
For a full review please see this link http://digit.lk/10_july_review
Even with his busy schedule, he makes sure he practices what he preachers. After getting hold of his book, whenever I wrote to him on twitter (@equalman), he would always send me a reply and that shows a man with dedication and an understanding in the social media field.
So onto his book which is a pretty easy read, first thing I noticed while doing a speed-read was the methodical way in which he has a summary at the end of each chapter. This book is a fun read and also one where we can learn some tips on improving our ways in which we use social media. So having a ‘key points’ summary really adds value to this book.
The first chapter gives us the importance of going from ‘word of mouth to world of mouth’. I like his subtitle on page 9 where he says ‘we no longer search for the news-it finds us’. Five years back I wouldn’t agree with that but how things have changed.
For a full review please see this link http://digit.lk/10_july_review
August 18, 2012
Eric Qualman, an experienced former internet marketer for some of the largest brands, brings to the forefront what every business should know- the importance of social media in today's modern economy. Socialnomics is a passionately written case for social media and shows how social networks have changed the business processes of production, marketing and selling. The book is also a call for companies that are steeped in the old ways of marketing and customer engagement to embrace the social media revolution.
I am in complete agreement with the concepts proposed in this book. I was particularly interested in real economical impacts that social media has triggered. Being a social media user and book author, I can attest the fact that brands that are leveraging social media are more likely to capture their customers' attention. Social media has also made it possible for consumers to obtain products and service faster and to immediately give feedback about the products/ services from a brand.
However, I wish Qualman had talked about the negative effects of social media and how this could also impact economics and social culture. He also seems to be of the opinion that traditional marketing may be as good as dead, yet the fact is that traditional marketing does have its place.
I am in complete agreement with the concepts proposed in this book. I was particularly interested in real economical impacts that social media has triggered. Being a social media user and book author, I can attest the fact that brands that are leveraging social media are more likely to capture their customers' attention. Social media has also made it possible for consumers to obtain products and service faster and to immediately give feedback about the products/ services from a brand.
However, I wish Qualman had talked about the negative effects of social media and how this could also impact economics and social culture. He also seems to be of the opinion that traditional marketing may be as good as dead, yet the fact is that traditional marketing does have its place.
November 18, 2010
Great insights on current & future mkt strategies. It makes you realize that traditional mkt isn't working anymore.
This books explains how social media can help small and big companies thrive in today's market by narrowing the gap between them and customers. It also covers the cons of speaking out to the world: are your customers happy about your brand? do you have a well planned social media strategy?
There are many people asking themselves whether or not to do social media. They're doubtful about the ROI it will produce for their company. Socialnomics shows many small case studies of real companies benefiting from this channel, but it explains that this kind of ROI is very difficult to calculate. However, it notes out that there's no need to worry about it since it's not up to you to decide whether you do social media or not, "but how well you do it"; we're already inside the social media world.
It also makes an excellent book for all those people out there believing social media is all about Facebook and updating your tweets.
This books explains how social media can help small and big companies thrive in today's market by narrowing the gap between them and customers. It also covers the cons of speaking out to the world: are your customers happy about your brand? do you have a well planned social media strategy?
There are many people asking themselves whether or not to do social media. They're doubtful about the ROI it will produce for their company. Socialnomics shows many small case studies of real companies benefiting from this channel, but it explains that this kind of ROI is very difficult to calculate. However, it notes out that there's no need to worry about it since it's not up to you to decide whether you do social media or not, "but how well you do it"; we're already inside the social media world.
It also makes an excellent book for all those people out there believing social media is all about Facebook and updating your tweets.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 20, 2011
This book was so poorly written that it became too painful to read and I quit at page 74. It was poorly edited, full of grammatical and spelling errors, and not much new information. was presented. We know that social media was a big player in the 2008 election. So what? What can small business owners take to apply to their own businesses?
The book uses examples taken from previously published information, as well as in formal conversations with what seems to be a friend or two. Grandiose statements and conclusions are made by the author, but they aren't really backed up with specific data, nor are they used to make recommendations for today's businesses. The random italicizing of words also contributed to the haphazard feel.
I was sorely disappointed, particularly because this came highly recommended from a respected mentor.
Do your self a favor and skip this one.
The book uses examples taken from previously published information, as well as in formal conversations with what seems to be a friend or two. Grandiose statements and conclusions are made by the author, but they aren't really backed up with specific data, nor are they used to make recommendations for today's businesses. The random italicizing of words also contributed to the haphazard feel.
I was sorely disappointed, particularly because this came highly recommended from a respected mentor.
Do your self a favor and skip this one.
November 27, 2010
This book, 'Socialnomics' is about the people-driven economy. "Advertising and it's model have changed. Social media is not a waste of time-it actually makes people more productive. We no longer have to go looking for news-it finds us."
Mr. Qualman carefully illustrates how Socialnomics benefits customers and the best products. He sites numerous examples of social media-and it's effects, on us, the consumer.
This is an extremely well written book on Social Media and it's role that it is already playing in our lives. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is curious about Social Media. I would even recommend it more to those that think Social Media is nothing but a time waster. Erik Qualman
Mr. Qualman carefully illustrates how Socialnomics benefits customers and the best products. He sites numerous examples of social media-and it's effects, on us, the consumer.
This is an extremely well written book on Social Media and it's role that it is already playing in our lives. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is curious about Social Media. I would even recommend it more to those that think Social Media is nothing but a time waster. Erik Qualman
April 1, 2012
A quick read about the dynamics of social media. I particularly liked the way he emphasized that organizations can't and shouldn't just use the tools for marketing; it's about a different kind of interaction, not just pushing your message. The ideas in this book really helped me explain some things about my job in better ways that I've already used.
(It should be known, though, that his writing leaves a lot to be desired... brevity is great, but someone who cares about consistency and comma placement should have read this over. The social media world has room for editors, too.)
(It should be known, though, that his writing leaves a lot to be desired... brevity is great, but someone who cares about consistency and comma placement should have read this over. The social media world has room for editors, too.)
January 21, 2010
I enjoyed this book. I learned a lot and plan to read it again, only this time highlighting. However, I have to say that there was at least one typo in each chapter, often more. This is very strange to me. how many people read a book before it's published???? No one caught all these mistakes...? Still worth reading though.
October 13, 2019
An overview of how the world will (and did) change due to the society turning towards new kinds of media. Even though it was written in the reality where MySpace was still a thing, it’s a must read for every marketer, freelancer and salesperson.
February 16, 2021
Funny Guy. Good writer.
August 22, 2023
This book eloquently unravels the profound impact of social media on both our personal lives and the business realm, provoking contemplation on the evolution of our society.
Qualman masterfully weaves anecdotes and statistics, crafting a narrative that highlights the astonishing power of social media to influence our daily routines and alter the very fabric of commerce. "We don't have a choice on whether we do social media," he asserts, "the question is how well we do it." This quote resonated deeply, encapsulating the inevitability of the digital transformation we find ourselves amidst.
The author takes us on a journey through the annals of social media's evolution, tracing its trajectory from a mere platform of self-expression to a robust tool for communication, marketing, and advocacy. With eloquence, he underscores how businesses that fail to adapt to this digital revolution risk obsolescence.
However, as we immerse ourselves in the digital realm, the importance of cybersecurity becomes glaringly apparent. Just as we secure our physical possessions, our digital assets demand protection. In this context, I cannot help but recommend y3llowl4bs, an entity well-versed in hacks and cybersecurity services. Their expertise extends to recovering hacked social media accounts, expunging viruses from your servers, and fortifying your virtual presence against threats.
"Socialnomics" compels us to acknowledge the sway of social media in our lives, urging businesses to capitalize on its potential. Simultaneously, it's a reminder that this digitized world requires vigilance against cyber threats. Embrace the insights of this book, and consider the vigilant support of y3llowl4bs to navigate the digital currents securely.
Qualman masterfully weaves anecdotes and statistics, crafting a narrative that highlights the astonishing power of social media to influence our daily routines and alter the very fabric of commerce. "We don't have a choice on whether we do social media," he asserts, "the question is how well we do it." This quote resonated deeply, encapsulating the inevitability of the digital transformation we find ourselves amidst.
The author takes us on a journey through the annals of social media's evolution, tracing its trajectory from a mere platform of self-expression to a robust tool for communication, marketing, and advocacy. With eloquence, he underscores how businesses that fail to adapt to this digital revolution risk obsolescence.
However, as we immerse ourselves in the digital realm, the importance of cybersecurity becomes glaringly apparent. Just as we secure our physical possessions, our digital assets demand protection. In this context, I cannot help but recommend y3llowl4bs, an entity well-versed in hacks and cybersecurity services. Their expertise extends to recovering hacked social media accounts, expunging viruses from your servers, and fortifying your virtual presence against threats.
"Socialnomics" compels us to acknowledge the sway of social media in our lives, urging businesses to capitalize on its potential. Simultaneously, it's a reminder that this digitized world requires vigilance against cyber threats. Embrace the insights of this book, and consider the vigilant support of y3llowl4bs to navigate the digital currents securely.
March 6, 2018
I had a two day class last week and this is one of five books I noted for near future reading. I found it on Open Library, so it got the first nod.
I was surprised that a book published in 2009 on social media would have so much still relevant, but this did, even though the players have changed (MySpace gone, Snapface and Instachat here). People want to know what the majority is doing, businesses need to use social media to survive, social media can effect change (look at Arab Spring and US elections - Obama cited, and the other numbingly unforeseen), social media as product referral and marketing shift, "transparency" may become a norm whether wanted or not (the ubiquity of phone cameras was only beginning in 2008-9)...
And an inconsequential observation - I had no idea Hulu was so big back in 2009. Huh.
Good read, quick, and not as dated as it could be.
I was surprised that a book published in 2009 on social media would have so much still relevant, but this did, even though the players have changed (MySpace gone, Snapface and Instachat here). People want to know what the majority is doing, businesses need to use social media to survive, social media can effect change (look at Arab Spring and US elections - Obama cited, and the other numbingly unforeseen), social media as product referral and marketing shift, "transparency" may become a norm whether wanted or not (the ubiquity of phone cameras was only beginning in 2008-9)...
And an inconsequential observation - I had no idea Hulu was so big back in 2009. Huh.
Good read, quick, and not as dated as it could be.
January 2, 2018
Qualman provides a comprehensive rationale and review of how communications have been reshaped by social media. He illustrates the positive correlation between cultural staples and cultural moments through a number of case studies; and he breaks down the significance of social media and free access. However, that’s all he does—which is why I find it curious that this book always comes highly recommended from social media experts and marketing majors. There is little, if any critical consideration as to why people consume or sympathize in particular ways. Likewise, there is nothing said about the implications of social media wherein quantity via clicks, cult, and capital are prided over quality via veracity or virtuosity. It is an overall satisfactory introductory text to perhaps, the less literate in media.
November 12, 2018
This has been sitting on my shelf for a while. It did not age well. If I read it a few years go, the points may have been more interesting but I found myself skimming much of the content and reading the ending summaries. The conclusions I agreed with are pretty common sense but many of the recommendations Qualman makes can be debated on their effectiveness and are dependant on the kind of business/brand you have and want. I also think there is not enough counter-argument on the potential damage social media can have, not only on a business but on us as humans.
August 1, 2022
Got halfway through this book and couldn’t keep goin. It wasn’t really what I thought it was. There were some interesting parts on here but much of the supporting details are biased and the book doesn’t have any strong evidence and fails multiple times to provide where the r comes from. Wish it was better than it was :(
March 1, 2018
Pretty disappointed about this book. First of all, it was written almost ten years ago, and hasn´t been updated since. So the perception and use of social networks, as the whole digital landscape, has dramatically changed since.
Secondly, it´s abundant in examples that are super fixed on US user and US reality, too much details.
Thirdly, a visible bias towards twitter.
I´m struggling readling it (just in case most relevant part is in the end), and can´t wait to finish it.
Secondly, it´s abundant in examples that are super fixed on US user and US reality, too much details.
Thirdly, a visible bias towards twitter.
I´m struggling readling it (just in case most relevant part is in the end), and can´t wait to finish it.
April 18, 2018
I stopped reading this about halfway through. From the first page, I got the impression that he wrote this book simply to stay relevant. At best, his arguments were underdeveloped. At worst, he was picking words out of the air.
May 17, 2019
A very interesting book, I read it for work. There are a few ideas that we might try.
February 8, 2020
Na altura em que foi publicado tinha grandes dicas e já previa as mudanças estratégicas colocadas em pratica pelas empresas.
September 3, 2020
a bit outdated
August 14, 2023
A good sight in the new way to make business in social network times.
A lot of exemples of american media.
A lot of exemples of american media.
April 26, 2013
Author: Erik Qualman
2nd Edition, 2013
Pages: 316
Do you remember what life was like before the age of Social Media? It was not that long ago that people did absurdly old fashion things such as use a telephone to speak to someone, write a letter, or even list a personal ad. Social Media now enables you to suggest the latest article you read via a link to your high school best friend you have not seen in 10 years, by just using the click of a mouse. Has that really changed the way we live and do business? Erik Qualman makes a strong case that it does indeed.
Socialnomics is written so that it can be used as a resource book as well as a primer on the topic. You can read the chapters, just like individual blog postings, each self contained yet contributing a piece of puzzle to the greater picture. I did not know this when I chose the book, but more than 100 universities have Socialnomics as required reading for business and MBA programs.
The book highlights many interesting ideas on how to approach using Social Media. One of the bigger ideas is that in the future, products will find us in the world of Social Media rather than we somehow finding a product. I suspect what Erik is talking about is the effect of behavior-based marketing. This is the ability to push ads to people based upon their behavior profile in Social Media.
Erik mentions AT&T a few times and only in passing, but in Chapter Eight, Next Steps for Companies and the Glass House Generation, he writes: “Social Media is helping to drive the transformation of mobile devices to being the dominant Internet access point instead of computers.” John Donovan dazzled the Dallas crowd this week with his presentation of the future of technology and network operations. A Twitter complaint can be picked up and through the use of analytics and wireless sensors deployed in a Coca-Cola factory, we can execute an early repair to avert a damaging and costly disruption in the company’s production. Did you know that the free WiFi at Starbucks is an example of Big Data? If you try to kick your java addiction, you can expect a friendly email from Starbucks checking up on how you are doing.
When the age of the Internet took full force in just four short years, all of the Telcos were scrambling to deploy more Line Units in the switches, because suddenly due to modems, everyone was using their phone lines far longer than they had ever in the past. DSL saved the switches and fed the hunger for even more bandwidth with each passing year as streaming video came to the Internet. Now imagine for a moment, dear reader that this ravenous monster of data suddenly due to a new addiction to Social Media, jumps from a wireline network to a wireless network. Godzilla has an iPhone and tablet WiFi enabled compuater, surfing YouTube at lunch break for the latest cat video. Might seem humorous but someone has to make sure the network is there to provide that bandwidth, and now the marketplace is driving that into a wireless environment due to Social Media.
I highly recommend this book if you are looking for a solid foundational read about the world of Social Media from a business perspective. The work covers all the major topics of Social Media and how it is used, but chapter 13, “100 Plus Social Media Sites,” is worth the book price alone.
Think you can pass? Well, here are some of the eye-opening statistics on Social Media found on page 207-208 of Erik’s fantastic book.
Over 50 percent of the world’s population is under 30 years of age.
Some 96 percent of them have joined a social network.
Facebook tops Google for weekly traffic in the United States.
Years to reach 50 million users: Radio – 38; TV-13; Internet-4; iPod-3.
If Facebook were a country, its user population would be the world’s third largest, ahead of the United States and behind only China and India.
Generations Y and Z consider email passé; – some universities have stopped distributing email accounts.
Instead, universities are distributing eReaders, iPads, and tablets.
These are just seven points of 37 very thought-provoking facts about how Social Media is transforming the way we live and do business today and in the future. Do not pass up this book if you plan on being around for awhile because to quote Erik on page 208, “Social Media isn’t a fad; it’s a fundamental shift in the way we communicate.”
2nd Edition, 2013
Pages: 316
Do you remember what life was like before the age of Social Media? It was not that long ago that people did absurdly old fashion things such as use a telephone to speak to someone, write a letter, or even list a personal ad. Social Media now enables you to suggest the latest article you read via a link to your high school best friend you have not seen in 10 years, by just using the click of a mouse. Has that really changed the way we live and do business? Erik Qualman makes a strong case that it does indeed.
Socialnomics is written so that it can be used as a resource book as well as a primer on the topic. You can read the chapters, just like individual blog postings, each self contained yet contributing a piece of puzzle to the greater picture. I did not know this when I chose the book, but more than 100 universities have Socialnomics as required reading for business and MBA programs.
The book highlights many interesting ideas on how to approach using Social Media. One of the bigger ideas is that in the future, products will find us in the world of Social Media rather than we somehow finding a product. I suspect what Erik is talking about is the effect of behavior-based marketing. This is the ability to push ads to people based upon their behavior profile in Social Media.
Erik mentions AT&T a few times and only in passing, but in Chapter Eight, Next Steps for Companies and the Glass House Generation, he writes: “Social Media is helping to drive the transformation of mobile devices to being the dominant Internet access point instead of computers.” John Donovan dazzled the Dallas crowd this week with his presentation of the future of technology and network operations. A Twitter complaint can be picked up and through the use of analytics and wireless sensors deployed in a Coca-Cola factory, we can execute an early repair to avert a damaging and costly disruption in the company’s production. Did you know that the free WiFi at Starbucks is an example of Big Data? If you try to kick your java addiction, you can expect a friendly email from Starbucks checking up on how you are doing.
When the age of the Internet took full force in just four short years, all of the Telcos were scrambling to deploy more Line Units in the switches, because suddenly due to modems, everyone was using their phone lines far longer than they had ever in the past. DSL saved the switches and fed the hunger for even more bandwidth with each passing year as streaming video came to the Internet. Now imagine for a moment, dear reader that this ravenous monster of data suddenly due to a new addiction to Social Media, jumps from a wireline network to a wireless network. Godzilla has an iPhone and tablet WiFi enabled compuater, surfing YouTube at lunch break for the latest cat video. Might seem humorous but someone has to make sure the network is there to provide that bandwidth, and now the marketplace is driving that into a wireless environment due to Social Media.
I highly recommend this book if you are looking for a solid foundational read about the world of Social Media from a business perspective. The work covers all the major topics of Social Media and how it is used, but chapter 13, “100 Plus Social Media Sites,” is worth the book price alone.
Think you can pass? Well, here are some of the eye-opening statistics on Social Media found on page 207-208 of Erik’s fantastic book.
Over 50 percent of the world’s population is under 30 years of age.
Some 96 percent of them have joined a social network.
Facebook tops Google for weekly traffic in the United States.
Years to reach 50 million users: Radio – 38; TV-13; Internet-4; iPod-3.
If Facebook were a country, its user population would be the world’s third largest, ahead of the United States and behind only China and India.
Generations Y and Z consider email passé; – some universities have stopped distributing email accounts.
Instead, universities are distributing eReaders, iPads, and tablets.
These are just seven points of 37 very thought-provoking facts about how Social Media is transforming the way we live and do business today and in the future. Do not pass up this book if you plan on being around for awhile because to quote Erik on page 208, “Social Media isn’t a fad; it’s a fundamental shift in the way we communicate.”
June 16, 2010
Sendo eu uma entusiasta do Twitter, em especial, e da comunicação via Internet, de um modo geral, foi com bastante curiosidade que parti para a leitura deste livro, que se propõe a analisar a forma como as redes sociais têm alterado a forma como comunicamos uns com os outros, não só na perspectiva pessoal, mas também empresarial.
Há muito tempo que a Internet vem mudando a forma como tomamos decisões de compra. Nos dias que correm, a grande maioria das nossas compras são decididas com base em opiniões a que temos acesso na Internet, e o boca-a-boca ganhou, subitamente, uma importância vital no sucesso (ou não) de muitos produtos. Aliás, os livros são um bom exemplo desta situação. Até há poucos anos atrás, as compras de livros faziam-se muito mais “a olho” do que agora, em que uma simples pesquisa no Google permite encontrar várias opiniões sobre determinado livro que nos suscitou curiosidade. O que as redes sociais vêm alterar neste caso em particular e noutros tantos é que nos permite aceder mais facilmente a opiniões de pessoas mais próximas, em cuja opinião confiamos.
A verdade é que desde há 2-3 anos, a utilização das redes sociais tem crescido de uma forma exponencial e neste livro o autor pretende explicar-nos porquê e de que forma consumidores e empresas podem beneficiar das potencialidades destas novas ferramentas. O livro encontra-se escrito numa linguagem muito acessível e o autor utiliza vários exemplos (alguns deles interessantíssimos) para que o leitor melhor compreenda a mensagem que está a tentar passar. Existe um capítulo inteiro dedicado à campanha de Barack Obama para a presidência dos Estados Unidos da América e da forma inteligente como utilizou a Internet para fazer passar a sua mensagem, para além da inclusão de várias situações que envolveram actuações de empresas no âmbito das redes sociais, tanto com bons como com maus exemplos.
É certo que as redes sociais são hoje muito importantes em termos de comunicação na Internet e se revelam ferramentas preciosas no que respeita ao marketing empresarial, e essas duas vertentes são muito bem exploradas pelo autor ao longo deste livro. No entanto, considero que não existem só aspectos positivos na utilização das redes sociais – o próprio autor o refere, a certa altura, muito superficialmente – e, portanto, julgo que a visão optimista poderia ter sido contrabalançada com esta perspectiva. Por outro lado, se é certo que as redes sociais são utilizadas por cada vez mais gente, também não se pode negar que existe uma fatia grande da população (maior ou menor, consoante o país) que ainda não utiliza estes meios e que ainda está agarrada aos meios de comunicação tradicionais.
Resumindo, acho que é um livro interessante não só para quem utiliza com frequência as redes sociais mas também para quem deseja compreender melhor o fenómeno. Gostei.
Há muito tempo que a Internet vem mudando a forma como tomamos decisões de compra. Nos dias que correm, a grande maioria das nossas compras são decididas com base em opiniões a que temos acesso na Internet, e o boca-a-boca ganhou, subitamente, uma importância vital no sucesso (ou não) de muitos produtos. Aliás, os livros são um bom exemplo desta situação. Até há poucos anos atrás, as compras de livros faziam-se muito mais “a olho” do que agora, em que uma simples pesquisa no Google permite encontrar várias opiniões sobre determinado livro que nos suscitou curiosidade. O que as redes sociais vêm alterar neste caso em particular e noutros tantos é que nos permite aceder mais facilmente a opiniões de pessoas mais próximas, em cuja opinião confiamos.
A verdade é que desde há 2-3 anos, a utilização das redes sociais tem crescido de uma forma exponencial e neste livro o autor pretende explicar-nos porquê e de que forma consumidores e empresas podem beneficiar das potencialidades destas novas ferramentas. O livro encontra-se escrito numa linguagem muito acessível e o autor utiliza vários exemplos (alguns deles interessantíssimos) para que o leitor melhor compreenda a mensagem que está a tentar passar. Existe um capítulo inteiro dedicado à campanha de Barack Obama para a presidência dos Estados Unidos da América e da forma inteligente como utilizou a Internet para fazer passar a sua mensagem, para além da inclusão de várias situações que envolveram actuações de empresas no âmbito das redes sociais, tanto com bons como com maus exemplos.
É certo que as redes sociais são hoje muito importantes em termos de comunicação na Internet e se revelam ferramentas preciosas no que respeita ao marketing empresarial, e essas duas vertentes são muito bem exploradas pelo autor ao longo deste livro. No entanto, considero que não existem só aspectos positivos na utilização das redes sociais – o próprio autor o refere, a certa altura, muito superficialmente – e, portanto, julgo que a visão optimista poderia ter sido contrabalançada com esta perspectiva. Por outro lado, se é certo que as redes sociais são utilizadas por cada vez mais gente, também não se pode negar que existe uma fatia grande da população (maior ou menor, consoante o país) que ainda não utiliza estes meios e que ainda está agarrada aos meios de comunicação tradicionais.
Resumindo, acho que é um livro interessante não só para quem utiliza com frequência as redes sociais mas também para quem deseja compreender melhor o fenómeno. Gostei.
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