Going Social (Excite Customers, Generate Buzz, and Energize Your Brand with the Power of Social Media)

If you're not social, it's like you're not even there. That's how critical social media marketing has become. Businesses everywhere are struggling to adapt, but transitioning from traditional marketing to online engagement is fraught with questions, such as: How much is a Facebook "like" worth? How can you effectively engage online influencers? What are the best dashboards for monitoring multiple social channels simutaneously? How do you keep it all going around the clock? For more than a decade, author Jeremy Goldman has helped companies inject "social" into their processes. In Going Social, he explains the ins-and-outs of platforms such as Facebook,Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, Foursquare, Instagram, Pinterest, and others-and shows readers how to: * Formulate a social strategy * Pinpoint their audience and where they "live" online * Give their brand a unique voice and personality * Get good at listening * Create relevant, engaging content * Identify and reward influencers * Build strong bonds with bloggers * Become truly customer-centric * Avoid pitfalls when possible-and respond to negative feedback when a misstep is made * Cultivate brand spokespeople * Use targeting to engage more effectively * Turn employees into social marketers * Engage with ROI in mind The digital landscape offers unprecedented opportunities to breathe new life into brands, spread the word about products, and magnify loyalty. Featuring insights from entrepreneurs, social media directors, community managers, bloggers, and other experts, Going Social is an indispensable guide to connecting with customers in the brave new social frontier.