Marketing to the Social Web: How Digital Customer Communities Build Your Business

by Larry Weber

Praise for Marketing to the Social Web

"Weber understands that the world is going digital and that competitive advantage will accrue to those who understand the transformation. CEOs should heed this transformation and learn from Weber's insights how to navigate this new landscape to fully maximize their business opportunities."
-Mark Fuller, Chairman, Monitor Group

"Consumers are using technology to grab power from companies, the media, and the government. Marketing to the Social Web succinctly outlines how institutions can survive and win in this chaotic new world, and lays out the revised rules of engagement-ignore them at your peril."
-George F. Colony, CEO, Forrester Research, Inc.

"Larry has brought pragmatic and useful recommendations to help brand builders manage the complexity of social interaction in a digital age. I was pleased to read a book that actually suggests how to do something with social networks, instead of just ponder them."
-David Kenny, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Digitas Inc.

"Where's the allure of social 2.0? Brands can talk . . . customers talk louder! Digital influence has arrived."
-Jeff Taylor, CEO, Eons and Founder of Monster.com

"Larry Weber provides a simple and effective roadmap of the new customer information highway. Marketing to the Social Web is a valuable tool that will give everyone the confidence and know-how to compete in this fast-growing marketplace of ideas."
-Steve Harris, Vice President, Global Communications, General Motors Corporation

"As all lines and boundaries are washed away by the Web, Weber describes how to become part of the sea versus the sand."
-Nicholas Negroponte, Chairman, One Laptop per Child

Genres: Nonfiction, Business, Technology, Web, Buisness

Hardcover

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Larry Weber is the Chairman & CEO of Racepoint Global (www.racepointglobal.com), an advanced marketing services agency, well-known expert in PR and marketing services, and author. Passionate about the convergence of technology and communications, he is a frequent public speaker on the future of marketing, the social web and building communities online. Larry enjoys helping global brands and emerging companies harness social media strategies to enhance brand reputation, create and extend partnerships, and increase demand generation. He founded one of the industry's first interactive marketing agencies, Thunderhouse, and has worked with world-class clients including ARM, AT&T, Coca-Cola, Cook Medical, General Electric, General Motors, IBM, Kaiser Permanente, Microsoft, and many more.

In 1987, Larry started his own public relations company, The Weber Group, and within a decade it became the world's largest public relations firm. The Interpublic Group of Companies purchased The Weber Group in late 1996, and in early 2000, Larry was named Chairman and CEO of Interpublic's Advanced Marketing Services, a $3 billion unit with 12,000 people and including the company's public relations, research and analysis, and entertainment holdings.

Larry serves on a number of Boards of corporations, non-profit organizations and academic institutions. He is the co-founder and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts Innovation and Technology Exchange (MITX),the world's largest Internet marketing association. Larry has authored four business and marketing books, including The Provocateur: How a New Generation of Leaders Are Building Communities, Not Just Companies (Random House/Crown Business, 2002), business bestseller Marketing to the Social Web: How Digital Customer Communities Build Your Business (Wiley & Sons, 2007, with a second edition in 2009), Sticks & Stones: How Digital Business Reputations Are Created Over Time...And Lost in a Click (Wiley & Sons, 2009), and Everywhere: Comprehensive Digital Business Strategy for the Social Media Era (Wiley & Sons, 2011). Larry's newest book, The Digital Marketer: Ten New Skills You Must Learn to Stay Relevant and Customer-Centric, is due out in Spring 2014.

Reviews

[Luciano Palma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good guidance for who's starting on the Social Web world.
Main concepts are introduced and important topics are covered, which one should definitely consider when building a Social Web Marketing strategy (e.g, the importance of Communities).
As long as the book covers a big scope,it's a good idea to complement it with more specific books on each concept.

[Andrea]

This is not Gary Vaynerchuk on paper (who, by the way, should really write a book) but is nevertheless useful and informative. Still up to date given that it's over a year old, and we are talking about the Internet here.

[Ricky Setiawan · Rating 3 out of 5]

For some, especially those who just start learning about marketing in social media, this is a great book as it's able to build some theoretical framework on the subject. But I didn't find many new ideas here - most of them can be easily found on the Internet or any other books.

[Heidi · Rating 1 out of 5]

I saw this book on a client's shelf and thought, "Oh, goodie! One I haven't read!" I promptly ordered a copy, dove in... and was underwhelmed with a big side of "meh." I understand that social media changes daily, and hardcover published books can't keep up, bit this copyright 2007 book seemed out of the loop.

It's not that the advice is bad per se; Larry Weber does seem to say the right things (Wal-Mart Across America ampaign was bad), but he uses the word "control" entirely too much for my comfort level. I'm all for managing expectations and staying active in communities, but after a while, I began circling every time he used the word "control" to assuage the reader (presumably some terrified traditional marketer or CEO) that this crazy social media thing isn't a free-for-all. He seems to be quick to assure that you can still massage your messages (and people's responses) just as much as you used to.

For example, he claims "the objective is to have customers invite you to deliver the message to them. You just can't force them anymore." Um, no, you can't--did you used to? Is this the new way to "force" people to listen to your crappy message? And I disagree with the first sentence as well; I think this statement misses the point of social media completely, that it is about engaging in real conversations, not about "delivering messages" at all.

In short, the book seems to be looking at social media from a traditional marketing point of view and not quite getting it. (Sorry, Shel, for using "getting it.") :-)

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

A light introduction to social marketing for the beginner complete with a definition for a blog. While this may not be a cut and paste job, there doesn't seem to have been much first hand research apart from running google searches.

Weber pushes the idea of promoting your site, and then talks about how My Space never had to advertise. It would have been good to know exactly how they did get their first member and if they did anything at all to get a second member or just sat back and waited. If they did it without promotion then, why can't someone with the right idea do it now?

I do like the emphasis on applying basic marketing analysis to social networks as a marketing tool (even if My Space seems to undercut his argument), and the book does have some solid content about planning a social network. Even so, Weber falls into a lot of gee whiz millenialism without much warning:

"... the social web isn't just a channel or another medium for marketing messages. In effect, it's becoming the closest thing to physical life. ... you're going to have start talking to customers as if they were with you in the room."

Really? I might enjoy a chat with Elmore Leonard, but I am substantially less interested in exhanging views with Simon & Schuster, and I have no interest in participating in a social network with the folks at Kelloggs even though I do the family shopping and eat cereal.

[Tabari Brannon]

I really enjoyed this book. The author begins by presenting the difference between traditional marketing and social media marketing. This fundamental difference represents a shift the thinking of consumers and the need to shift in the way that we market to them. Social media marketing fills that gap.

This book gives a broad overview of the techniques and technologies which can be used in social media marketing. It is very good place to start to understand social media marketing.

I would caution that because of the nature of social media this book is a bit dated. I would recommend getting the second edition to this book. Despite this fact it still gives useful principles and techniques.

Good Read!

[Sean Fishlock · Rating 3 out of 5]

Basically a bunch of (very good) case studies on dot com businesses both old and new with a real passion and insight for social media and its possibilities.

Weber talks about social networking sites and search technologies like Google and introduces a range of strategies for doing business in Web 2.0. He covers such concepts as blogs and CEO blogging, reputation aggregation, webinars, user-generated content, search engine optimisation, podcasting, e-communities, viral online marketing, buzz marketing and even attempts to predict the trends of Web 4.0 ...

After reading it, my mind ran overtime with great new ideas for both myself and my clients.

[Ly Casnocha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this work by Larry Weber served as a useful guide for anyone concerned about effective marketing on the Internet in the modern age. It covers a number of matters related to the way that modern entrepreneurs are able to build up and sustain their businesses of interest. I think in this work Larry Weber provided a number of workable tips regarding the matter of appropriate marketing and branding on digital platforms. Overall, I think he pulled off a practical guideline and applicable for a large number of users who are concerned about these aspects.

[Tamara]

Though I read more of this than I expected, there weren't a lot of examples of what the "little guys" can do. Most examples were of large corporate businesses. The two things I got from this book:

The overwhelming sense that it will get increasingly more difficult to gain the attention of an audience on the web, especially as a small company.

The phrase "WORD OF MOUSE." What a great phrase to depict current trends!

[Mrs C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book on how the Web has changed marketing tactics. "The web is not a channel" it boldly proclaims in its first chapter. It caught my eye for sure. The book talks about thought leadership, blogging, and how consumers have the control to influence others--no more fake ads or stupid gimmicks. People build communities and these communities can make or break a company.

[Arthur Charlez · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing learning tool.. Larry Weber takes you deep into the mind of a person that not only understands social technologies from the perspective of the entrepreneur that has to use it, but also on the side of the user that can be reached, engaged and subsequently be made a customer.

This should become a textbook at the AAA School of Advertising Digital Academy.

[Sebastian Giano · Rating 5 out of 5]

The information in this book is amazing, you have a breakdown and a guide to organizing your web operations when dealing with communities and social media. Great for the growing enterprise, and for the plateaued organization when it comes to spurring further growth and driving sales to the next level.

[Claudine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just trying to keep my marketing mind sharp, as the landscape changes...

[Amman]

I think it's a good book.

[Marc · Rating 1 out of 5]

Couldn't finish it - too boring. The best writing on social media is on the web. By the time a book gets published, it's pretty much outdated.

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

A real eye-opener for people trying to do business on the Web.

[Roberto Jorda-Cid · Rating 2 out of 5]

Its a decent read. Mostly for people who have a consumer product. It helps decipher what the internet really has for marketers in any market and how to capitalize it in todays new media.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book to get you started in social marketing, whether it's for business, or to advocate for a cause you care about.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the newer version though...pub. 2009

[Lori Grant · Rating 3 out of 5]

An optional-read book on social media for the knowledge worker, manager, executive, or entrepreneur.

[bogdan · Rating 5 out of 5]

real marketing stuff