Social media is no longer an optional marketing channel — it’s a necessary one.
But that doesn’t mean results are a given. When it comes to social media, you’ll either have a lot of success interacting with your customers, or you’ll see little results — and that depends on the level of effort you put into it.
Few brands do social media really well, and those who do, see great things come from it. But for everyone who does social media well, there are hundreds of others seemingly spinning their social wheels with no tangible results.
For many, social media is simply a place to post links to content they’ve created in hopes that thousands will see it, click through, and share with their followers. So they have profiles on every network, and every network looks exactly the same; line after line of self-promotion.
This is not going to bring results. In fact, Facebook’s algorithm now penalizes link-based content, and Instagram has made it all-but-impossible to share a link.
Half-heartedly sharing your content on social media is not social media marketing. It’s spamming.
Social marketing is a lot of work, and it takes time listening and responding. After all, it’s social, and anything social takes an investment of effort and skill.
To hone these skills, check out these resources that will help you develop the skills needed to be effective on social media. (You may want to bookmark this post so you can easily refer to it again later.)
How to Learn Social Media Marketing: 30 Free Resources
Blogs About Social Media
Social marketing is a science involving special communication skills. And the landscape changes constantly.
One of the best ways to develop your social media prowess and to stay up-to-date is to follow experts in the field. These blogs are always fresh with actionable information you can use to improve your marketing:
1) Social Media Explorer
SME is both a strategic services agency and a blog with a bevy of social media and marketing experts. The SME blog is consistently considered one of the most insightful in the industry, and several of its authors have written popular books on several aspects of digital and social marketing.
2) Scott Monty
Monty is a marketing guru who covers a ton of subjects. However, his social media articles are always eye-opening. If you haven’t heard of him yet, check out his “this week in digital” posts — these will keep you up-to-date with all the news on social, and every other aspect of digital marketing as well.
3) Social Media Examiner
Not to be confused with Social Media Explorer, the Examiner is one of the top blogs in the world for social media. Its social media reports are filled with all the important data social marketers want, and the blog posts are filled with valuable tips, as well. If I had to pick just one social media blog to follow, this is the one I would choose.
4) HubSpot Marketing Blog
Right here on the HubSpot Marketing Blog, you can find breaking news and actionable how-to guides on every social network there is.
Ebooks About Social Media
These ebooks will provide deeper information on specific networks and topics.
6) How to Use Instagram for Business
This step-by-step guide explains the reasons to create a business Instagram account and how to execute on Instagram to drive results.
7) A Visual Guide to Creating the Perfect LinkedIn Company Page
If you’re building a company page for the first time, or trying to upgrade your page, this guide will show you exactly how to do everything from crafting an engaging company description to creating an eye-catching banner image.
8) How to Attract Customers with Facebook
This multi-page ebook will show you how to use Facebook to drive real business results for your organization.
9) How to Get More Twitter Followers
HubSpot partnered with the experts at Twitter to provide actionable tips for social media managers starting new accounts to build a following, and fast.
10) The Beginner’s Guide to Social Media
Last, but definitely not least, is this amazing guide from Moz. The 12 chapters in this book are filled with valuable information that every marketer absolutely needs to know. Bookmark this guide, you’ll refer to it more than once.
Videos About Social Media
Videos are my second favorite medium to learn, behind books. Being able to glean from the brightest minds on any subject as if you’re face-to-face is powerful. These videos will give you valuable insights, just how to do social media, but you’ll get insights into the why and what as well.
11) The #AskGaryVee Show
You can’t talk about social media without talking about the speaker, author, and social expert Gary Vaynerchuk. On the Gary Vee Show, he takes questions from his audience and answers them as only he can. If you have a burning question on social media marketing, send it to him.
12) TED Talks: Social Media Marketing
If you aren’t in love with TED, you might want to check your pulse. This is a playlist of videos from TED Talks on social media. There may not be that much actionable advice in these videos, but if you want to become an expert on social media, these videos will give you insight into the deeper subject like “the hidden influence of social networks.”
13) Learn Social Media Marketing
If you’re really new to social media, and you want to learn through a structured lesson experience, consider Lynda’s massive library on social marketing classes.
Podcasts on Social Media
If you like to learn while you chill, work out, or commute to and from work, podcasts are one of the best ways to do it. And these podcasts will help you develop your social media expertise.
14) Social Media Marketing Podcast
Michael Stelzner, from Social Media Examiner, brings you success stories and expert interviews from leading social media marketing pros.
15) The Social Media Examiner Show
Rather than deep dives, the SME Show gives you small, bite-sized content for social media every day. This is a great podcast to get actionable quick-tips on a daily basis. It’ll keep you motivated while you develop your skills.
16) The Social Toolkit
If you like to stay up-to-date on digital tools, apps, and software for social media marketing, this is the podcast for you.
17) The Social Pros Podcast
Every episode of the Social Pros Podcast shines the light on real pros doing real work for real companies. You’ll get insights from Jay Baer of Convince and Convert when you tune in.
Slideshows and Infographics About Social Media
If you’re a visual learner, these slide decks and infographics provide great ways to learn social media.
18) The B2B Social Media Palette
This SlideShare walks you through the channels and tools you’ll need to be most effective at B2B social media marketing. Sometimes, success can be found by using the right tools and channels for the right audience.
19) The Complete Guide to the Best Times to Post on Social Media
Timing is very important when it comes to social media. Post it the wrong time, and your update can go completely unnoticed because of the flood of updates in your audience’s feeds. Being able to master the timing of social media is critical to effective marketing.
20) 58 Social Media Tips for Content Marketers
This slideshow is from the folks at Content Marketing Institute. This deck shows the proper methods for promoting your content over social media. This is a must-read for any social marketer who wants to use those channels to promote content.
21) The Best and Worst Times to Post on Social Media
Again, timing is everything. This infographic lays out the best and worst times to post on each major network. You should save this infographic for referencing when you schedule your social media posts.
Books About Social Media
Books are my favorite way to learn. Many experts agree that if you read a book a week, on your area of expertise, for 5 years, you will have the equivalent of a Ph.D. on the subject. That may or may not be true, but reading books from the experts definitely doesn’t make you a worse marketer. Here are some books to get you started.
22) The B2B Social Media Book
This book covers the specific application of social marketing to B2B companies, to leverage social media to drive leads and revenue.
23) The Art of Social Media: Power Tips for Power Users
You’ve got to read this book by the legendary former Chief Evangelist of Apple, Guy Kawasaki. He’s one of the pioneers of social and content marketing, and this book is filled with expert advice from one of the best.
24) The Tao of Twitter
This book is supposed to be for busy marketers who need to get the basics of Twitter down quickly. It shows you how to connect and start creating meaningful connections in less than two hours.
25) The Ultimate Guide to Facebook Advertising
Facebook is one of the most effective advertising and PPC platforms available. You can target a plethora of metrics, allowing you to drill down and advertise to a very specific audience. This book will show you how to optimize your Facebook ads.
26) Jab, Jab, Right Hook: How to Tell Your Story in a Noisy Social World
Gary Vaynerchuk gives insight into how he uses a conversational, reactionary approach to engaging his audience. He gives concrete, visual examples of great social marketing, as well as not-so-great ones.
27) The New Rules of Marketing and PR
David Meerman Scott’s book on digital marketing is an international bestseller, and worth every penny. Some argue that it should be required reading for any marketer — and in this marketer’s opinion, “Just read it.”
28) Likeable Social Media
Dave Kerpen claims the secret to viral social marketing is to be likable. When someone likes you, they’ll recommend you. But being likable on social networks is easier said than done. This book will help you crack that code.
29) Social Media Marketing for Dummies
One of my mentors taught me to read children’s books on a subject if I just couldn’t grasp a concept. That principle gave way to movements like “Explain It Like I’m 5.” And, sometimes you just need it broken down like you’re, well, less than an expert on the topic, to put it gently. If that’s you, this book is valuable. Go ahead and buy it — we won’t call you dummy.
30) Contagious: Why Things Catch On
This book by Jonah Berger provides a strong foundation to understand how content goes viral — and how to create ideas on social media that are so catchy, your audience won’t be able to help but click them.
The Secret to Social Media Success
No matter how many social networks you set out to master, or how long you work in the social marketing field, there is one secret that will ensure you’re successful: Never stop learning.
This list is massive, I know, and there’s no way to consume all these resources in the next week. But if you set yourself to learning every day, every week, every month, every year, you’ll eventually be the one writing the books that help others learn social marketing.
It all begins with learning.
10 Things I’ve Learned About Social Media:
- Social marketing requires listening.
- Conversations should be the goal of social marketing.
- Team #Followback is a waste of time.
- Social marketing isn’t broadcasting, it’s communicating.
- Never auto-post your content to your social profiles.
- Never copy/paste the same message into every social profile.
- Social marketing requires time. It’s relationship-building on a massive scale.
- Be helpful. Period.
- Social support is faster than live chat, email, or phone calls. Embrace it.
- You don’t have to be on every network. Go where your customers are.
