6 Books & Podcasts ALL Social Media Managers Should Know About!

Regardless of the size of your social media following or engagement, if you have any business sense you'll continue to strive for greater growth be it in numbers or engagements. Whilst it seems that digital content is king, there are some sensational real life books and podcasts that can help you help you brand exceed expectations. 

I'm a book fiend, and for every crime thriller I read, I also read a book that helps me develop myself or my business, so I thought I would share 3 of my favourite reads and 3 of my favourite listens from the last 12 months.

BOOKS

1. Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook: How to Tell Your Story in a Noisy Social World

Image: Ideal Lust Life

There would be no possible way of compiling a list of must read books about the power and potential of social media and marketing without starting it with Gary Vaynerchuk. Vaynerchuk is without doubt one of the most prolific voices on the internet, his voice is loud, unapologetic and combative, in the best of ways. 

In Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook, Vaynerchuk shares hard-won advice on how to connect with customers and beat the competition. Thanks to massive change and proliferation in social media platforms, the winning combination of jabs and right hooks is different now. Vaynerchuk shows that while communication is still key, context matters more than ever. It’s not just about developing high-quality content, but developing high-quality content perfectly adapted to specific social media platforms and mobile devices—content tailor-made for Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, and Tumblr.

2. Contagious 

Image by @nickiecatwoman

Jonah Berger is the God of viral marketing, social influence, and trends. He's written a handful of books, but the one that I recommend time and time again is Contagious. Do you find yourself head scratching as to why other brands with similar products to you are succeeding, whilst you are not? Why are some products and ideas talked about more than others? Why do some articles make the most emailed list? Why do some YouTube videos go viral? Word-of-mouth. Whether through face-to-face conversations, emails from friends, or online product reviews, the information and opinions we get from others have a strong impact on our own behaviour.

Whether you're a Fortune 500 company trying to increase sales, a corner restaurant trying to raise awareness, a non-profit trying to fight obesity, or a newbie politician running for city council, word-of-mouth can help you succeed. And you don't have to have millions of dollars to spend on an advertising budget. You just have to get people to talk.The challenge, though, is how to do that. This book will show you how.

In Contagious, Berger reveals the secret science behind word-of-mouth and social transmission. Discover how six basic principles drive all sorts of things to become contagious, from consumer products and policy initiatives to workplace rumors and YouTube videos. Learn how a luxury steakhouse found popularity through the lowly cheesesteak, why anti-drug commercials might have actually increased drug use, and why more than 200 million consumers shared a video about one of the most seemingly boring products there is: a blender.

Contagious provides a set of specific, actionable techniques for helping information spread—for designing messages, advertisements, and content that people will share. Whether you’re a manager at a big company, a small business owner trying to boost awareness, a politician running for office, or a health official trying to get the word out, Contagious will show you how to make your product or idea catch on.

3. Invisible Influence: The Hidden Forces That Shape Behaviour 

Image by @erinjway

If you’re like most people, you think that your choices and behaviours are driven by your individual, personal tastes and opinions. You picked a jacket because you liked the way it looked. You picked a particular career because you found it interesting. The notion that our choices are driven by our own personal thoughts and opinions seems so obvious that it is not even worth mentioning. Except that it’s wrong.

Without our realising it, other people’s behaviour – what psychologists call “social influence” – has a huge influence on everything we do at every moment of our lives, from the mundane (which movie to see or place to have lunch) to the momentous (which career path to take or person to marry).

We make riskier decisions because someone patted us on the shoulder. We like the name Mia because Madison and Sophia are popular names this year. Even strangers, or people we may never meet, have a startling impact on our judgments and decisions: our attitudes towards a welfare policy totally shift if we’re told it is supported by Democrats versus Republicans, even though the policy is the same in both cases.

But social influence doesn’t just lead us to do the same things as others. Like a magnet it can attract, but it also can repel. In some cases we conform, or imitate others around us. But in other cases we diverge, or avoid particular choices or behaviours because other people are doing them. We stop listening to a band because they go mainstream. We skip buying the minivan because we don’t want to look like the soccer mom.

By understanding how social influence works, we can decide when to resist and when to embrace it: we can affect others behaviour and use others to help us make better-informed decisions.

PODCASTS

1. The Tim Ferriss Show

Tim Ferriss is a self-experimenter and bestselling author, best known for The 4-Hour Workweek, which has been translated into 40+ languages. Newsweek calls him "the world's best human guinea pig," and The New York Times calls him "a cross between Jack Welch and a Buddhist monk." In The Tim Ferriss Show, he deconstructs world-class performers from eclectic areas (investing, chess, pro sports, etc.), digging deep to find the tools, tactics, and tricks that listeners can use.

2. StartUp

StartUp is a documentary series about entrepreneurial life. The show has been downloaded tens of millions of times since its launch in 2014. Its first season has been adapted into an ABC sitcom called Alex, Inc. starring Zach Braff. StartUp has won a Gracie Award and the Gerald Loeb Award for Distinguished Business and Financial Journalism. 

3. The Science of Social Media

The Science of Social Media is your weekly sandbox for social media marketing stories, insights, experimentation, and inspiration. Every Monday (and sometimes more) we share the most cutting-edge social media marketing strategies from brands and influencers in every industry. If you’re a social media team of one, business owner, marketer, or someone simply interested in social media marketing, you’re sure to find something useful in each and every episode. It’s our hope that you’ll join our 15,000+ weekly iTunes listeners and rock your social media channels as a result!

Do you have favourite books and podcasts that inspire you in work or play? Let us know in the comments below.

How To Create A Business Profile On Instagram

All evidence suggests that switching your brand Instagram over to a business account will only help you in terms not only of reach and engagement, but also in terms of unlocking analytics and insights that are not available to personal profiles.

Here are 4 easy steps to take you from personal to business;

1. Make the switch

By default, you begin with a personal profile. To use Instagram for business, you have to connect your account to a Facebook business page.

Launch the app, hit the 3 lines at the the top right of the screen and click Settings at the bottom.

Scroll down until you see the option that says Switch To Business Profile, click on this and follow instructions.

2. Connect to Facebook

Click through the promo slideshow until you get a prompt to connect to Facebook. Select “Choose a page,” and set the page to “public.” Click “OK.”

Next, Instagram asks for permission to manage your Facebook pages. Look through the list of Facebook business pages you’ve already created. Select the right page, and click “Next.”

Only an admin on the account can complete this step. You won’t see the page if you’re just an authorised user.

3. Complete the profile setup

To finish your profile, enter an email, phone number, and address for your business. You have to fill in at least one of these contact fields to proceed. Some information will be auto-filled if it already appears on your Facebook page.

Click “Done,” and go to your profile. A new line graph icon should appear at the top of the Instagram app. This is your Insights page, where you can keep track of promotions and engagement stats.

Your Instagram will run like normal, and after 7 days you will start to see insights and analytics, which will not only allow you to see your growth, but also your most engaged with content and follower demographics.

You can find out how to get to grips with Instagram Analytics and make the most of your presence on this game changer of a platform.

FIND YOURSELF SPENDING HOURS ON YOUR BRANDS SOCIAL MEDIA, YET NEVER GETTING ANYWHERE? MY NEW COURSE, LAUNCHING IN SPRING 2019 IS THE COURSE FOR YOU.

Key Dates Your Business Can Benefit From In 2018

New year, new fire in your belly when it comes to your brands social presence, but find yourself more than 20 days in and not much has changed? This post will help with that. 

Whilst it can seem that there is a National Something Or Other day constantly, it would be remiss to ignore them all, as it might just be they provide you with anything from inspiration to a tool to advance your product or service. 

To help you get started, I've pulled together a handy list! 

January

Dry January

Sell alcohol so think this is off the cards for you to engage with, wrong! In fact it's allows you to show the wider reach of your offerings, such as non alcoholic versions of beverages, or in deed soft drink options that are a little more interested than the norm. 

Veganuary 

Does you brand sit with vegan morals? Are you a vegan and cruelty free skincare brand? Now is the time to shout about it. Are you a restaurant that could look to offer more vegan options? Use it as a chance to shine and welcome those customers who may have previously felt excluded.

27th January - National Story Telling Week

This is a a fantastic opportunity for brands, inspire customers to share their stories with you, be it about the first time they experienced your product/service. Tell the story of your brand, how did your business begin?

February

February 9th: National Pizza Day

Who doesn't love pizza, if you're a foodie or drinks brand, this is a clear opportunity to develop a deeper relationship with your customers by asking them to get involved. 

Create a fun quiz which works out what kind of pizza you would be based on your job role, date of birth, favourite cheese...the possibilities are endless!

Host a pizza workshop, a beer & pizza pairing evening, 

February 13th: Pancake Day

Whether it’s a pancake race outside with all your staff which you share on social and allow customers to vote on or choose the winner, a special menu or just a special 'flipping amazing' offer for that day only, this is a day when everyone is ready to get involved for the sake of delicious pancakes.

February 14th: Valentine’s Day

The day of love, or the day where you can share a little cynicism! Which ever on works best for your business. 

Florists, make sure you have roses in stock and make it easy for people to buy, fashion stores get your date-worthy outfits front and centre, coffee shops add a free heart shaped cookie on the side of all coffees when people share their best date stories using a hashtag you create.

Online businesses, declare your love for your own customers with a flash sale or special offer, give people time to prepare for it and stress the urgency of the sale/discount. 

March

March 1st: St. David’s Day

St. David is the patron saint of Wales. Welsh businesses take note! Travel companies that have venues in Wales, take notice. Brands who sell Welsh items, take notice and fly the flag high! 

March 11th: Mother’s Day

This is a wonderful opportunity to stray away from the norm, inspire customers to be kind, to share the love for their mums. Share a little insight into your team members, share candid moments about their lives, customers relate to that and it reminds them that behind every business are real people with real lives! 

If you have products that fit well with the day, then by all means share, offer and promote. Flowers, gifts, eating out etc, make sure you let them know in person, online and via mailing lists. Make it timely and focus on the feelings and memories you can create, rather than on the material possessions. 

March 24th: Red Nose Day

No matter your business, this is a perfect time for you all to get red noses on and be part of one of the country’s biggest charity days, it's a great way to get staff and customers involved and engaging with each other. This is a fantastic opportunity to create funny or moving video content, whilst doing your bit for the charity.  

April

April 1st: Easter Sunday

Do something unexpected, as well as the usual promotions. Get the local businesses together and host an egg hunt, bonnet contest or chocolate egg workshops. There are so many engaging ways to celebrate that don't simply involve making that sale!

Don't forget your online presence too, hide easter eggs in your images, treat customers to Easter giveaways, invite followers to get creative. 

April 21st: National Tea Day

Can you even be British if you don't have an opinion about tea! Fan the flames of national pride and get a conversation going! In store give away free cups of tea, if you’re a coffee shop, concentrate on all the ways you can have tea, iced, hot, in baking... 

May

Bank Holiday - 7th & 28th 

Make the most of people having the day off work (in most cases) - give people a really good reason for getting out of the house and trying your products or services.

Think of the things people love doing on Bank Holidays, BBQ, spending time with family, getting outside, then find a way your business can link in with that. It doesn't have to be ground breaking, but it does need to be on brand to convince people to spend with you.

June

June 17th: Father’s Day

If your business has items that will make dad’s day then put them up front and centre and try putting them on offer so little ones, and slightly bigger ones, can help show their dad some appreciation on this day.

July

July 7th: World Chocolate Day

Everyone, take note! If you are a B2B business, send your main customers a box of chocolates, treat your staff to a chocolate bar. 

If you're a B2C business then think of the ways you can add value to customers already shopping with you.

If you have a cafe or restaurant, use this day to amplify your USP, rather than simply offering a discount on normal items, how about creating a specific chocolate menu, chocolate tea, curry, salad dressing, cocktails, they can all be created with a touch of chocolate. 

August

August 27th: Bank holiday

Replicate what worked in May, customers will make it clear what they engaged with most, so give them it in bucket loads!

October

October 31st: Halloween

Get the costumes on, seriously it's the most fun day of the year! Get the camera out and make sure your social followers know you’re taking part and give them a chance to get involved and win! in fact, Go to town on the decorations and the spooky puns! 

November

Movember

As with Red Nose Day, getting your staff and customers involved in the greater good together can only lead to great things.  health. Whether you encourage beard-growing staff to take part, or stick a fake ‘tache onto others. The moustache has also become super trendy in recent years, so maybe you already have items (or have some shaped biscuits your coffee shop can bake) to sell as part of the theme and remember to have some proceeds go to the good cause it stands for.

November 11th: Remembrance Day

Whilst this is a sober event, it's important your business do its bit by showing support. Make sure your staff wear poppies, where possible, uphold the 2-minute silence at 11 am. Be aware that working this day into your marketing in any other way is likely to be considered poor taste.

December

December 24th: Christmas Eve

The final push before Christmas and prime for people who haven’t finished their shopping and will be on a mission to do so, make sure you’re letting everyone know that your items are the perfect finishing purchase for their Christmas.

If you're an online business that cannot deliver items same day, then make it easy for people to purchase them and download them to give as a gift!  

December 25th-31st: Sale 

Christmas Day and the week that follows is one of the busiest shopping periods online, ensure your business is set up for that push and increase in sales, especially if you have discounts.

So there you have it, a snippet of insight into some of the days you can capitalise upon, regardless of your industry!