Reviews
Here’s what people are saying about Secrets of Social Media Marketing. If you’d like to add your own review, please post it as a comment below. Reviews on Amazon are also welcome!
“Many of social media’s self-proclaimed experts want you to think that you need an arsenal of highly developed skills developed over many years to market effectively via online communities. Paul Gillin debunks the elite by eliminating the jargon and mystique of new media. Through the wonderful stories and practical ideas in The Secrets of Social Media Marketing, he makes it easy for you to succeed with your own social Media Marketing initiatives. Jump in. Your buyers are online and waiting for you!”
David Meerman Scott
Bestselling author of The New Rules of Marketing and PR
“I thought I knew a lot about how to use social media and social networking for marketing. No I didn’t. Paul Gillin is the one who really does. This is not only the most informative, useful and important guide to the practical use of social media and social networks for marketing, it will be the benchmark for other books like it for a long time. This book isn’t just best practices – it is THE practical guide to how marketers can do what they need to engage 21st century customers. There are none better than this brilliant book.”
Paul Greenberg
Author “CRM at the Speed of Light, 4th Edition”
“Rich with real-world examples and practical tips, this latest book from new media expert Paul Gillin offers a much-needed guide for marketers who are ready to engage in this new and ever-evolving world of social media. From covering the basics, to addressing how to sell a social media program in your organization to effective program management and a look at what’s coming in the future, this book will be a valuable resource for marketers at all stages of social media adoption.”
Jen McClure
Executive Director, Society for New Communications Research
“In The New Influencers, Paul Gillin showed us how ordinary people are using social media to establish a level of influence that was previously reserved for the mainstream media, captains of industry and elected officials. In this book, he shows us how organizations can capitalize on the social media revolution. Whether you’re a digital immigrant or a digital native, you can’t afford not to read this book.”
Eric Schwartzman
Founder, iPressroom and “On the Record…Online” Podcast
“Make full use of this book and return to it over and over. Read it with a highlighter with flags so you can spot the relevant places to apply for your own marketing efforts. My book is lined with these markers from reading this well-crafted book.”
Terry Whalin, The Writing Life
“Once again Paul Gillin hits the nail on the head with Secrets of Social Media Marketing, but this time he gives us the new Media Marketing toolbox so everyone can embrace the idea of influencing the influencers and prospering online. We’ve already updated our website with relevant searchable content and posted new tags, descriptions and links, set up multiple RSS feeds, and joined a few more social networks and niche communities to mine customers.”
Kristin Gabriel
Founder, MarCom New Media
“This book is not hype or fluff, but real, good information supported by real people in real companies…Vastness and complexity made simple.”
Amy Howell
Howell Marketing Strategies
“Comprehensive, an easy read, well laid out, and true to its title, you felt like you were getting the inside scoop on how to use get the most out of social media to effectively market your business. 5-out-of-5 Nordic Track Ski Stars.”
“Nothing is more rewarding than to read a book that is at once valuable, timely, and engaging. Secrets of Social Media Marketing is all that and more. Paul has a genius for making the complex simple enough to understand without oversimplifying…There may be a better book on social media marketing. But if there is, I haven’t found it.”
Newt Barrett, Content Marketing Today
“I’ve only now realized how quickly social media has established itself. Social media consultants seem to be everywhere — so much so that even the illustrious BusinessWeek magazine has started to “debunk” social media myths. Then again, there’s guru Paul Gillin’s superb new Secrets of Social Media Marketing.”
Hanson Hosein
Director, Masters of Communications in Digital Media
University of Washington
“If your organization aspires to learn to listen to online conversations, use what you learn there to develop segmentation strategies, put these insights to work by building communities around shared enthusiasm and conversations, allow members to become evangelists for your brand or cause, and – as an added benefit – transform the culture of your own organization… then read on.
R. Craig Lefebvre
On Social Marketing and Social Change
“I believe the true value of his advice is that it does not forget the basic business rules that keep your company growing (silly things like Sales). Paul is not just a tactfully helpful writer, he is also fun to read.”
David Cutler, EatMedia.com
“…an instructive walk through today’s social media/2.0 sites and tools, with examples of companies that have used them successfully.”
Daniel Dern, Business Trends Quarterly
“I loved it—it’s a wonderful introduction to this field and it is perfectly written to speak both to marketers who want to find out what the buzz is about, and also to those who run a business and want to take advantage of “new” marketing principles.”
Ian Hughes, Monkbam Blog
“I love it. It’s really easy to read and you can open the book at any section and start reading.”
Sarah Oliver, Social Whisper
“This book is so filled with useful advice and numerous links that any review can not do it justice. Gillin’s long history in the tech community makes him the correct guy to do this type of book. I t is a clear easy compelling read.”
Reg Nordman, Knights on the Road
“The book goes into good detail about mapping a social media strategy so that enterprises can engage their customers in such conversations. Because I represent B2B companies, this book, in particular, spoke to me.”
John Conrad, Merritt Group PR Blog
Two excellent books you might consult on social media marketing are “Social Media Marketing: An Hour a Day” and “Secrets of Social Media Marketing: How to Use Online Conversations and Customer Communities to Turbo Charge Your Business”.
Frank Gordon, Chiropractic Social Media Marketing
“I just completed it and recommend it to anyone who is new to social media, or someone like me who needed to get refocused on my social media marketing plan and how to make best use of social media to enhance one’s brand. I am a champion of Paul’s brand. His work is contemporary, relevant and easy to read.”
Rex Whisman, Brand Champion of the Day
“A great primer for SM marketing!”
Roger Bora, Trademark Titan
“It provides lots of real-life practical steps that you can apply yourself. I would call it your own personal social marketing consultant!”
Henry Dominik, JRoller Online Book Reviews
“Paul Gillin’s Secrets of Social Media Marketing is a damn good read. Get your copy, you will enjoy it.”
Eban Crawford, Reaching for Lucidity
“Best Books on Social Media”
Birdland Insight, Trendbird
“Overall – yes it is a book I would recommend to anyone, my clients and even social media consultants – it has helped me fill in a few gaps in my lessons and presentations.” [However, Sherry Heyl disagrees with many observations in the book and thinks the case studies could do a better job of looking at missed opportunitiess.]“
“This is a great book to take your online marketing to the next level. However, newbies might be frustrated by the scope of experience needed to fully understand all of the lessons in this book. That said, this is great for those generally familiar with online marketing tools.”
DJ Francis, Online Marketer Blog
“Gillin’s prose is insightful and easy-to-follow with interesting anecdotes. Fitting for this review topic, I discovered Paul Gillin and his work through a tweet, the name for a Twitter post. I highly recommend Secrets of Social Media Marketing to experienced marketers as well as the book’s focus audience of new entrepreneurs. Regardless of your online experience, your next marketing step should include Secrets of Social Media Marketing.”
Jennifer Akers, MyShelf.com
“I love it. It’s really easy to read and you can open the book at any section and start reading. Whether you’re an expert in social media already or a complete novice I think you will still find it interestng and insightful.”
Sarah, Social Whisper
“This step by step approach is exactly what most Brand Managers need and it is something that has been missing from most social media books out there…this book has quickly gone to the top of my must read list for Brand Managers.”
Dave Knox, Hard Knox Life
“…a great introduction to social Media Marketing. It’s not a comprehensive how-to, but an overview of why and where to start. And, it’s ideal for explaining the whole concept of social Media Marketing to those who may be a bit reluctant to jump on in.”
Kat Meyer, The Bookish Dilletante
12 Marketing and Writing Book Recommendations:
“The ABCs of Social Media Marketing.”
“12 Marketing and Writing Book Recommendations: ‘The ABCs of social Media Marketing.’”
Brad Shorr, WordSell, Inc.
“I am always on the lookout for a single book to recommend to the class which may be of practical, hands-on use. I think I have finally found it in Secrets of Social Media Marketing by Paul Gillin, a book I introduced last week in class. It is excellent. If you plan to do a project for class, you will find it useful.”
Robin Stavisky, New Venture Marketing
“Paul Gillin’s book is THE resource book for companies on social media. This will become the reference book everyone will be using shortly (at least I think), similar to Chris Pearson’s ProBlogger I highlighted last week. This takes social media and plugs it in to a company’s overall marketing goals and provides a very good structured argument for managers seeking to utilize social media to take back to their higher-ups. Worth a read most definitely.”
Trish Lawrence, A Tangle of Shiny Stuff
“Paul puts social media into plain old ordinary terms.As a consultant serving the real estate and construction industries, I highly recommend this book. It’s easy to read and offers a mountain of useful information.”
- John P. Kreiss
President & CEO, MorganSullivan
http://www.morgansullivan.com
“Paul Gillin’s Secrets of Social Media Marketing is like a Magic 8 Ball. If something’s troubling me in the world of social Media Marketing, all I have to do is skim through the pages, choose one at random, and I’m sure to find something insightful and relatable to the crisis at hand.Gillin draws from what feels like thousands of real life, recent examples in social Media Marketing — some as recent as months ago — and forces readers to push their thought processes further. When you read Gillin, you can’t help but find yourself adapting his ideas into everyday usable tools for your business.
“I’m not kidding when I say his book stays with me at all times. That way, if I’m at a coffee shop or having lunch by myself, it’s so easy to whip out and read a few passages because each time I know I’ll learn something new and innovative.
“Secrets of Social Media Marketing is the must-have reference guide for EVERYONE.”
“There are lots of books about the latest fads, but not too many of them that are just filled with practical, real-world examples of what to do, and more importantly, what not-to-do, to implement social media techniques to market your business. Paul — who is my podcasting partner on MediaBlather.com, so admittedly I am a bit biased — does a fabulous job showing you the landscape and as previous posters have commented has filled this book with many insights. So much about social media is common sense and easily implemented that you will come away from reading this saying, ‘why didn’t I think of that?’ This book will become an inspiration for how companies market themselves for the next five years.”
“Secrets of Social Media Marketing is exactly what communication professionals need to sort through the myriad of game-changing tools, services, and social network sites. It’s a ‘How-to’ book, packed with example after example aimed to help you grow your Social Media Marketing prowess. You may want to buy two copies of this book: keeping a dogeared, notes-in-the-margin, working-copy with you at all times, while a virgin copy holds a respected place in your personal library.”
- Ron Ploof
OC New Media, LLC
“I enjoyed reading the book, and I was glad to see that you support most of the practices I follow when doing social Media Marketing (I just wish I had more time to do it).
“I noticed one glaring error in the book: You mentioned xanga as a facebook imitator (pg.122), but xanga is actually a blogging community that predates facebook. It was launched in 1999.”
“What a great resource. It’s the kind of book that made me want to call some my clients and insist they read – nobody could read this and not see the value of social media, or fail to be inspired to get involved.
“Far from being overly-technical, the book lays out a number of start to finish examples/case studies, which anyone who can use email or Google could take and do for themselves. I have no doubt it will be one of the core books on Social Media Marketing for many years.”
“It’s one of the best social media books I have read and will give you so much inspiration and ideas about how to go about starting a campaign.”
“Paul Gillin is the go-to guy when it comes to social media wisdom. His ability to take a subject and make it understandable and practical is what sets him apart from the rest. I highly recommend Secrets of Social Media Marketing to anyone involved in marketing or PR today.
“I run a four-person department and this book is now on our required reading list. Another excellent book from the master of observation and insight.”
- Chuck Hester
Communications Director, iContact
Author, Linking In to Pay it Forward
“I have spent 6 months and hundreds of reading hours searching for a book exactly like this one.
“My recommendation to anyone curious about interactive marketing: first, read David Meerman Scott’s The New Rules of Marketing and PR, to get excited by the possibilities. Then, read Secrets of Social Media Marketing by Paul Gillin to know how exactly how to proceed.”
“There are a lot of books out there that cover the theories and philosophy behind social media. Paul Gillin’s book is one of the first to cover all of the practical aspects of social media marketing and the challenges it presents to marketeers. It is a great tutorial on how to develop a social media strategy and how and when to deploy the tools. What I found to be the most valuable, though, are the many wonderful examples, case studies, and best practices. I think this is going to be the handbook on social media marketing and not just for those new to the area, but also for those who are seeking a way to ignite brainstorming on new ideas for social media marketing campaigns.”
“You can read my full review on my blog. But, in short: buy it now.”
- DJ Francis
OnlineMarketerBlog
This book breaks it down into digestible bits of information, explaining it in such a way that both the novice and the expert will be able to grab information. Gillin goes into detail explaining such basics as, what is a blog and a social network. But he also provides more than just “how to get started.” Gillin has done such in depth searching into the world of social media that he has uncovered just about every site, every tool, every trickthat is needed to really get a handle in such an ever changing environment.
“Marketing in social media does not guarantee success. It requires as much work and planning as any other business or marketing efforts, if not more. This book is a must have for anyone wanting to delve into social media marketing.”
“Paul Gillin’s Secrets of Social Media Marketing is essential reading for those considering social Media Marketing. For newbies, it explains the essentials on how to create buzz using social media tools, how to create and use a blog, not to mention why you would want to do so. Even those of us who have been blogging for years can get a lot from this very informative book. Without being too technical, he reaches out to everyone interested in the ins and outs of social media.
“I think this book will become the new tutorial for marketing through social media channels. I know I will be keeping it close.”
- Rosemary O’Brien, Writing Military Mom
“Books We Like”
“It’s written so that it’s easy to understand, but engaging at the same time. I enjoyed the examples of how companies are using these technologies, as many social media tools are difficult to understand without really using them. By offering some real world examples, it helps people new to the world of social media to get a better grasp on how they might benefit.
“As a business owner who advises clients in this capacity, I often come upon objections to social media. One of my favorite parts of the book is when Gillin addresses common concerns head on and offers reasons why businesses can no longer ignore these cost-effective, powerful tools.
“A great read for anyone interested in social media, from novice to guru.”
“It really is quite a gem that I’ve deliberately slowed down my reading pace and take all the time in the world to fully ingest all the wisdom behind the carefully picked statements.
“Without doubt, a true and valuable resource not just for someone who wants to carve a niche online but also for those who would likely want to become a warm, humanizing asset to what seemed to be a cold and distant web world.”
“One of the best books on social media marketing so far. I have posted a review of this book here. Great resource and a must-have!”
- Henry Dominik
Anylabs Technologies
“I usually judge business books based on two things: opportunities for immediate usefulness and how many times I end up recommending others read them. Paul’s first book ranked very very well on both scales for me, as does this one.
“However, this book I could add dozens of other measures. I’ll keep it to my top three: 1) totally enjoyable read (I could practically hear Paul talking while I was reading); 2) great conversation starters and 3) fantastic examples/anecdotes. So, Paul, what’s next?”
- Bobbie Carlton, Bobbie Carlton PR and Marketing
“This book is an excellent read for beginners or those looking to bring social media concepts into the organization. For those who have been playing in this space for a while, it’s a good refresher and some of the content will be considered review.
“This is a book that I’ll be sharing with staff members who are interested in getting into the social media game and need the foundational concepts that are outlined in Paul’s book. Secrets of Social Media Marketing will find a place on my bookshelf as a a reference manual for future use.
“For those looking to dive into the social media space, pair this book with Groundswell and you’ve got the information you need to build the foundations of a successful social media program within your organization.”
- Jamey Shiels
Walk On: Exploring the Digital Experience
February 5th, 2009 at 10:52 am
There are many excellent books on the subject of Web 2.0 and its business applications. I highlight several on the blog for my Stanford Continuing Studies class. But I am always on the look out for a single book which may be of practical, hands-on use. I think I have finally found it in Secrets of Social Media Marketing by Paul Gillin. It is excellent, and I highly recommend it.
February 5th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
Amazing!
February 6th, 2009 at 12:41 pm
This book is amazing! A must have for every marketer who want to use social media. Will there be an audio version of the book?
Thanks!
February 9th, 2009 at 7:36 pm
A quick note to say I’ve just finished reading SSMM and have so many things I want my clients to implement (and to implement in my own social network for all things consumer cybersecurity, http://www.theinternetprotectors.com) that I have no idea where the time’s going to come from to do it all! Thanks for a great book, and I’ve recommended it to many people as the first SMM book I’ve read that really helps to understand what’s valuable (and what’s not) for different businesses.
February 25th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
I loved the book!! For a newbie to social marketing it seemed like just the right introduction with helpful hints. I loved all the stories as well as all the types of social marketing descriptions and benefits that he gave.
I’m just wondering why @paulgillin isn’t active in Twitter!
April 1st, 2009 at 12:51 pm
Too often, those of us on technology marketing teams fall into the trap of spending far too much time focusing on our own social media tools, technologies and strategies – and not enough time on the bigger picture of the dramatic implications of the social media advances happening all around us. I’ve found Paul Gillin’s “Secret’s of Social Media Marketing” to be a much-needed ‘heads up’, a step-by-step common sense blueprint for anyone who’s moving, at whatever speed, into this vast, powerful communication phenomenon. Paul’s style is relaxed and conversational as he draws the reader in, page after page, with often humorous anecdotes of the successes and failures of companies as they implement social marketing strategies – all ending with a what to do – and more importantly what not to do – moral to the story. Not only are the social media giants like FaceBook, YouTube and Digg are a part of his conversation but equal billing is given to the niche players like StumbleUpon, Reddit and Squidoo.
My advice? Grab a copy, and one for a colleague. You might even be surprised by a mention of a project that you’re involved in – as I was!
April 4th, 2009 at 5:30 am
Paul, thanks again for the review copy. Your insights made me reflect on the broader implications of your findings. My commentary is here on my blog.
http://dhdeans.blogspot.com/2009/03/legacy-marketing-doesnt-work-now-what.html
Cheers, David
June 2nd, 2009 at 8:28 am
Paul:
I’ve heard a lot about you recently and fast pacing myself through e-learning re: Social Networking. It has already improved our global business growth and brought interest to recent launches on new services including VIRTUAL GOLF TOURNAMENTS!
It just so happens that I too am an avid RED SOX fan, although now partial to my RAYS here in Tampa. I lived in New Beford, Mass most of my pre-45 years, had the pleasure of being a staff baseball instructor for Ted Williams Baseball camp in Lakeville and playing in Fenway twice for the Record American High School All Stars.
I’ll be in New Bedford to visit with family from July 25-30 and would love to spend some time with you….we are attempting to purchase scalper tickets to a Red Sox game while there with the Orioles! I am firmly positioned here in Tampa as a Golf Consultant, both as a Tournament Manager and owner of a growing niche business model that is growing world wide and interested in advancing my skills and knowledge on SM! I write for several publications and very interested in partnership collaboratives!
If you care to send me a copy of your book so that I can review it, my plan is to invite you to come down to Tampa for a SPORTS SM Summitt to speak and push your book along with others whom I will be inviting! I have connections with local college and High School AD’s as well as the local Professional Sports teams.
Let me know your thoughts!
Sincerely,
Bob Gaudreau-CEO
Media Golf Productions, Inc
DBA: Portable Golf Solutions
July 25th, 2009 at 7:04 am
Your book mentioned that you can get up-to-date research on online statistics and social media usage at ssmmbook.com/research but that page does not appear to exist….can you help point me in the right direction? Thanks.
July 30th, 2009 at 5:57 pm
Thanks for pointing that out. Please see http://ssmmbook.com/research/ for the information you’re looking for. My mistake!