Does all the hype surrounding social media make sense?
Isn't it time that somebody tried to deconstruct all this bullshit?
What are social media? Are they the same websites we used to call social networks? Why did we start calling them social media?
What is social media marketing? Are companies doing it right? Does it make sense to send your website visitors to Twitter and Facebook?
Do people really want to "engage" with brands? Do companies really want to have "conversations" with their customers?
What is the value of a Facebook "like"? What is "organic reach"? What happens now that the free lunch is over?
The 15 Questions:
1. What Are Social Networks? 2. What Are Social Media? 3. What Is Social Media Marketing? 4. Are Companies Doing It Right? 5. Why Are Companies Sending People Over to Social Media? 6. Does It Make Sense? 7. Do People Really Want to Engage With Brands? 8. Do Companies Really Want to Engage With Their Companies? 9. Are Social Media Useful for Customer Service? 10. What Is the Value of a Facebook “Like”? 11. What Does “Earned Media” Mean? 12. What Is “Organic Reach”? 13. Is the Free Lunch Over? 14. What Happens Now? 15. What Is the Dumbest Social Media Stunt Ever?
I was expecting a book to show me how to use social media to advertise my products. What I got was a few short pages of why social media marketing doesn't work. As I was reading this, I thought, "He is going to end this book with some great idea to use instead of social media." I was disappointed. It was just his platform to rail against social media. Have you ever been in a conversation where the other person is just complaining about something? That's what this book felt like.