Top 25 Free eBooks on Social Media

eBooks are an essential part of internet marketing from a standpoint of providing solid information on a given subject matter. eBooks are normally sold throughout the internet marketing world along with free versions that are meant as an additional value to the visitor or potential customer. At this point I also offer 3 ‘free ebooks' on Social Media to those that subscribe via email to Social Media Core.

It is no secret that most of these free ebooks are written by an author who typically gives the ebook on a non-commercial license in order to share the information and at the same time possible draw traffic back to their website or upsell to another ebook or product.

Most people will search on Google or through time gather a collection of free ebooks. I like to use the social media strategy in having the free ebooks come to me. That is why I use a website calledScribd.com to check on new free ebooks on a given subject matter. In this case Social Media. Lately many have been uploaded to be shared. Of these, I have compiled a list of the current Top 25 free ebooks on Social Media. The order is random as quite honestly I have not read all of them. The 26th free ebook to the reader who reads all of them and gives me their opinion on the actual top order. Note: I have compiled a list of ‘true ebooks' that are in PDF and Word Doc format.

1. Belonging Networks Corporate Social Networking
2. Social Web Basics
3. The 2009-2014 World Outlook for Advertising for Social Media Web Sites
4. Social Media and Customer Service
5. Center For Social Media - Youth As E-Citizens
6. How Blogs and Social Media are Changing Public Relations
7. Social media and the banking industry
8. Social Media: 40 Places to Find Web 2.0 for Your Web Site
9. Social Media Marketing Strategies Guide
10. Nielsen - Pharma & Social Media
11. The Need for Speed - Using Social Media to Speed Innovation
12. What is Social Media?
13. ComplexDiscovery - User Generated Content, Social Media, and Advertising
14. Social Media Guide Release
15. Social Media & Marketing - Online Networking & Advertising February 2008
16. ebook: The Art and Science of Social Media and Community Relations
17. What is Social Media? - Book 2
18. Social Media Maps
19. Social Media Manifesto by Brian Solis
20. New Media Case Studies 2008
21. The Impact of Social Media on Innovation - Josh Bernoff
22. The Secret Underground Guide to Social Media for Organisations
23. Customer Service: The Art of Listening and Engagement Through Social Media
24. The Social Web Analytics eBook 2008
25. The Essential Guide to Social Media

About Social Media Core Social Media Core was started as a blog to cover social media from 4 main focal points. The "Stars" of Social Media, Strategy, Technology, and Measurement. From within these 4 main focal points comments and opinions are encouraged on each blog post to better understand the past, current, and future state of Social Media and the impact from a consumer and enterprise level.

How to Launch Facebook Offers in Minutes

One of the most powerful features you can use to promote your business is Facebook Offers. That's the good news. The even better news is that it takes just minutes to create an offer.  Here we will go step by step from idea to redemption. I will make some simple assumptions as skip a few steps such as "Log into your Facebook account."

Step by Step

1.  On your page, at the top of your timeline on the left hand side you will see an image listing:  Status, Photo/Video, Offer, Event +

 

 

2.  Click Offer, Event +

3.  A dialog box will open.  Click Offer.  (This area also has other tools such as Event, Milestone, Question aka Polls).

4.  A new dialog box will open and here's where we start to get down to business.

Make the Offer 

Upload an Image - the image should be clean and uncluttered.  A simple close up of the item is all that's needed.

Write a Headline - keep it simple and strong.  This is the call to action and what will get people in your door.

Limit the Number of Offers People Can Claim - two thoughts here; create a large number.  This leads people to believe you need a large amount to meet demand or use a small number to create scarcity and urgency.  You decide.

Set an Expiration Date for your offer - simple enough

Add your Terms and Conditions - 1 per person, 1 per day, 1 per table, cannot be combined with other offers.  Whatever is appropriate for your situation.

Example Offer 

4a.  Here is one I made for a clients.  It contains a simple image, a strong headline.  I like to start my headline with FREE when I can.  I also like my headlines to be as simple as possible for clarity.  I listed the number of free items, when the offer expires and the term.

At this stage if everything looks OK click the preview button.

Post the Offer


Your offer is now ready to post.  Click the Post button.

The offer gets posted to your timeline for your fans to see.

Fans Redeem the Offer

When your fans click on "Get Offer" and redeem your fantastic offer they will receive a message and an email.  They then have the option to print the email or take their smart phone into your venue and show the staff the redemption message.

Where to Promote

 

Where should you promote your offer?

 

Facebook

Email Newsletter

At the venue; that being the store, restaurant wherever the business operates.

 

Promotion Ideas and Creating Likes

Check In Flyer Example

In an earlier post, Facebook Brand Building, we learned that combination text and image posts get more attention and traction.  So coincidence that the Facebook template to create an offer is a combination text and image?  Nope.

Taking that one step further, create some POP, flyer's, ads, whatever you want to call it for your store front windows, restaurant tables, bathroom walls, wherever you can put up a compelling reason for customers to visit your Facebook page.

Value of a Like 

It may sound strange to offer a special once the customer is in the store but just because they are in the store doesn't necessarily mean they Like you on Facebook.  On the flyer add a message to "Like Us on Facebook" and you may get a new fan.  We detail that the value of a fan is $137 in the post "Value of a Fan".  If you haven't seen that post you might take a look.  Check back shortly.  I am working on a new article that details exactly how to turn fan building opportunities into growth for your business.