January 7, 2010

One of the best parts of a new year is that it can be a chance to start fresh – set new goals, start new projects and commit to expanding your knowledge. January is often the perfect time to read new books because the enthusiasm of starting anew is in full swing.

If you’re looking to get more into social media in 2010, there are a lot of great books that can provide insight into how social media can impact your business and how to cultivate a small community. Here are five of my favorites to get you started.

The Purple Cow, New Edition by Seth Godin – The ideas no longer seem as revolutionary, but Godin’s 2002 book (updated in November 2009 with new examples and a new chapter) still offers up solid case studies and information about what companies like Apple do to keep from blending into the pack.

The Art of Community by Jono Bacon – As the Community Manager for Ubuntu, one of the largest open source software projects on the planet, Bacon is intimately familiar with the importance of cultivating a community. He shares these insights in his book, and in a truly community-friendly move, offers the book as a free PDF download. You can also get it in paperback or for your eReader.

Trust Agents by Chris Brogan and Julien Smith – No matter what level of success Chris Brogan achieves, he continues to engage with the community and continues to put into action the lessons he espouses. In Trust Agents, Brogan and Smith outline genuine strategies for using the web to build trust and reputation.

Authority Rules by Brian Clark – Copyblogger author Brian Clark offers this short PDF booklet that outlines ten elements of effective online marketing. Backed up with good examples and no-nonsense advice, Clark’s words pack an impressive punch.

The Whuffie Factor by Tara Hunt – Tara Hunt defines “whuffie” as social capital in today’s digital landscape. The Whuffie Factor focuses on explaining how social networks can be used and leveraged to build your business. Hunt is all about engaging, conversing and trusting others and building authenticity and trust within the community. Authenticity is key, as Hunt points out, and it is what separates those with high whuffie from those just trying to cash in.

Of course, there are dozens of other social media books and tools available, but these five give a good overview and introduction to the business owner still trying to make sense of how this new wave of social connection can be used in the business world.

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, Tiridifilm  

Join the conversation ( 2 )

• Martin Lindeskog 2 years 1 months and 0 days ago

  

  Christina Warren:
  
  I recently finished Trust Agents. It is a great companion together with Crush It, Groundswell and Six Pixels of Separation.
  
  Catherine S. Read : I agree with your view that you should keep reading. I learned the importance of developing an ongoing library after reading and reviewing "Love Is the Killer App: How to Win Business and Influence Friends" by Tim Sanders.
  
  I am reading the following books at the moment:
  
  The New Community Rules: Marketing on the Social Web by Tamar Weinberg.
  
  Personality Not Included: Why Companies Lose Their Authenticity And How Great Brands Get it Back, Foreword by Rohit Bhargava.
  
  I will purchase Read This First: The Executive's Guide to New Media-from Blogs to Social Networks by Ron Ploof in the near future. I got interested in this book after listening to an interview (12/22/09) with the author at the Marketing over Coffee podcast. I think this book will be perfect intellectual "ammunition" when you are talking social media issues with executives, managers and others.

• Catherine S. Read 2 years 1 months and 1 days ago

  

  This is a very good list. When I teach social media classes, the three books I recommend are "The Cluetrain Manifesto" (sort of the prequel to "The Whuffie Factor" I think); "Tribes" by Seth Godin; and "Made to Stick" by Chip & Dan Heath. "Made to Stick" is excellent for helping people see how to craft content and messaging that is actually effective communication and not just noise.
  
  The important thing is to keep reading. There is so much out there that is very good, and people like Chris Brogan are very generous in sharing. The book is far from obsolete even with the rise of blogs and social media.