The influence of bloggers, podcasters, and users of other social media is profoundly disrupting the mainstream media and marketing industries. Paul Gillin s The New Influencers explores these forces, who these new influencers are, their goals and motivations, takes a look at the changes they have initiated, and offers strategies for marketing within this dynamic new macrocosm. The New Influencers explores: Why social media are now so influential in consumer decisions Interacting with those within the blogosphere How to take advantage of this new medium The need for complete transparency Strategies for both small and large businesses Whether your company or organization should start a blog

Customer Rating:
Summary: To Influence using the Web
Comment: I am half way reading the book and so far the book has capture my attention of how micro persuasion can eventually lead to centre stage headline. The book also differentiates between the mindset of a journalist and a blogger. The book also mentions the approach the blogosphere has adapt itself in seeking the truth of any issue in comparison of normal journalistic work. I am eager to know how the book will show marketers to use the social media to create better conversation & engage the customers.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Social media: PR's chance to shine
Comment: A veteran magazine man and tech enthusiast, Gillin in a good position to point out the many things that distinguish new media from old. If you're new to social media, this book will help you make sense of it all.

I like Gillin's analogy of the campfire. The campfire is probably the oldest social venue on the planet. The top-down style of communication that has defined mass media for 150 years is artificial, but it was the best we could do given the limitations of technology. Now technology has changed the rules, and it becomes possible to recreate the campfire in cyberspace.

If you're a PR person or marketing person and you want to influence the influencers, you must find them and understand what's relevant to them, Gillin says. But be aware that influence is not easy to measure. It doesn't lend itself to a single number, and no single search engine can provide a definitive blogger ranking. You have to consider quantitative and qualitative measures.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Read it now
Comment: The trouble with books about blogging and social media is that they become outdated almost as soon as they're published. So, if you're going to read this excellent overview of the new dynamics of marketing and public relations, read it now. Gillin, a career journalist, backs up his ideas with plenty of research, real world examples, and mini-biographies of movers and shakers among the "New Influencer" community.

For me, the two best parts of the book came at the very end, where Gillin reflects on the tensions between old and new journalism, and describes how the evolution of technology since the 1950's led to the incredibly interconnected world we operate in today. Fascinating stuff.

This book will be helpful for any journalist or marketer who wants to get up to speed on marketing and PR trends and best practices.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Disappointing, lots of stories, little hard info
Comment: I bought this after reading all of the glowing reviews, but I guess I should have read between the lines. When other reivewers say this book is the one to buy if you're clueless about social marketing, they aren't kidding. If you know even a little about blogging, which is what this book spends most of its time on virtually ignoring other forms of social marketing, then you'll be left with a bunch of stories about awesome bloggers would did awesome things with little to no real advice on how to do something awesome yourself. Gillin seems to worship the ground bloggers walk on and spends most of the book, including all of the first couple of chapters, saying so. There are endless profiles and anecdotes but little "how to". By page 40, I found myself saying "so what?" a lot. If you like reading profiles and "case study lite" type stories, then get this book. If you're looking for information on how to actually engage in social marketing (especially other than blogs), influence people and use social marketing to improve your business, a quick search on the net would turn up more useful (and free!) information.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: You must buy this book!
Comment: The New Influencers is an insightful overview of how marketer's can integrate social media into their branding and awareness programs. It provides a candid assessment of an emerging phenomenon, with practical examples and an honest and straightforward assessment of today's realities, the roles we all play, and how to welcome emerging and often hard-to-manage tools to influence a market. This is a must-read for all PR people, journalists, marketing firms and CEOs struggling to deliver messages to evolving markets.

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