The Social Media Mind by David Amerland

The Social Media Mind dives into the ways that social media has influenced, impacted and changed marketing, businesses and the way we think forever.

Amerland goes into specific detail about how using Google, Twitter and Facebook has made a huge difference in the way businesses are run now.  He talks about how consumers have changed over the years and want to buy from a company that has a face and a story.  Companies that utilize these forms of social media marketing to the highest potential gain the trust and loyalty of their consumers.

He provides interesting tid-bits of the way social media, when used correctly, has helped boost a companies reputation and revenues.  On the same token, when used incorrectly or not at all, how those companies have struggled with image and acceptability.  He uses large companies as examples, such as Gap, Blackberry, Starbucks and Ford.

He includes vital events that have most recently taken place and have changed the way that social media works.  For example, Facebook's last conference, f8, which revealed Facebook's future plans as well as the recent addition of the timeline.  Or Google's effort to match Facebook in the media world with their social networking site, Google+. Or the Occupy Wallstreet movement.  It was interesting to learn the back-story and inside scoop on these events.

However, for all the "interesting tid-bits" that this book contained, the writing was sub-par with lots of rambling.  It was also much too long for this subject and did not really offer any new or "A-Ha" moments that differ from other areas on this subject.  The author also very obviously favors Google over Facebook, and it was annoying to have his biased opinion.  I also fear that this book will no longer be relevant within the next 6 months.  The internet, social media and social networks are changing by the day... in 6 months time, this book will be outdated.

I picked up this book because in the description it boasted on being able to help give practical tools for getting heard.  I have a little personal family blog that I'd like to see grow (shameless plug, I know) and I was looking for more tools on exactly how to do that.  This book did not provide me with anything which would support that.

Who then is this book good for?  People who are interested in learning "tid-bits" behind monster companies such as Google and Facebook.  And small businesses who have not ventured into social media marketing and want to understand why it's so important in today's world.

2 Stars
I received a free copy of this book in return for my honest opinion... this is it.