Tailoring Social Media Presence

Book Review Blog/ ‘Likeable Social Media’ by Dave Kerpen

Tailoring Social Media Presence 

By Amy Baker

Likeable Social Media: How to Delight Your Customers, Create an Irresistible Brand, and Be Generally Awesome on Facebook (and Other Social Networks).

By Dave Kerpen

272 pages

McGraw-Hill

Hardcopy: $12.98-18-$21.20

Paperback: $8.75-$13.50

Image provided by the BlogSpot website. 

            Social Media is the new black. Within the past few years, social media has gained remarkable amounts of popularity not only as a fleeting fad, but also as a lasting necessity that fits all shapes and sizes. Whether we would like to admit it or not, social media has became as mainstream as the pair of black slacks hanging in our closet and doesn’t seem to be going out of style anytime soon. In this light, it is crucial for those engaging with social media to understand when, why and how to appropriately structure social media content so that our ‘classic black slacks’ reflect a more presentable style than just an ill-fitted pair of pants.  

            Likeable Social Media by Dave Kerpen provides readers with the key to creating a successful presence on social media: ‘be likable.’ The book is divided into 18 different chapters, each one detailing a different strategy that guides users in their quest for likability. In summary, Kerpen’s insights reveal the secrets of the rapidly changing communication method including: actively engaging with social media audiences, appearing open and transparent, building brand identity harnessing the audience’s attention and encouraging the spread of information. Overall, Likable Social Media outlines the process of how to effectively use digital communication as a means of keeping people talking about you in our information heavy world of technology. Likable Social Media  is not limited to being likable on social media, it transcends the importance of having a likable business. Kerpen explains the likability of a business as an ultimately force drive its success.

Image provided by DaveKerpen.com

            Kerpen begins Likable Social Media by sharing an experience in which social media was utilized as an outlet to dispense his thoughts and frustrations regarding the services of a hotel in Las Vegas. Resulting from this, a competing hotel acknowledged his contribution in the digital forum, later having an effect on his view and company loyalty. Throughout the book Kerpen supplies examples that help readers better understand the strategies provided and their potential affects. The author’s light-hearted humor, in combination with the book’s smooth flow from one strategy to the next guides readers easily from cover to cover as they explore digital marketing techniques. Likable Social Media is best compared to a colorful ‘how-to’ book that dispenses useful, tactical information while splashing the pages with vibrant, personal stories.

            Social media guru, Dave Kerpen, is cofounder and CEO of the global, award-winning firm, Likeable Media. The firm stresses the social media and word-of-mouth techniques discussed in the book and has landed a spot as one of the 500 fastest growing privately owned businesses in 2011 and 2012. Also in 2012, Kerpen was declared the Most Social Inc. 500 CEO by ceo.com. Snagging a best seller title from the New York Times, Likable Social Media, reinforces Dave Kerpen’s reputation as a strategic social media expert.        

         Overall, I found the book beneficial, but room for improvement exists. First and foremost, the world of strategic communications is in constant fluctuation and rapid advances in technology require that these strategies be constantly updated. Although Likable Social Media was published within the last five years, many things have changed since then and I think that more up-to-date strategies regarding newer advances would be more relevant. From this, I also critique the extremely focused emphasis on Facebook. Although Facebook serves as the most widely used social media outlet, other applications are quickly gaining popularity and ought to be given more attention in establishing likable social media. That being said, I still advise others to read the book because it does offer substantial information and useful tactics. For more information watch Kerpen explain successful strategies of social media in this video.