I finished reading Groundswell on the bus this morning. I highly recommend it to anyone charged with leading their organization into the world of social media marketing or outreach. While I feel like I started the book with a robust understanding of social media, the authors presented a lot of financial analysis and corporate case studies that revealed strategies and insights that I hadn’t considered before. That said, if you don’t know the first thing about social media and you’re interested in learning about it, Groundswell is a great place to start.
Somewhat ironically, reading the book has motivated me to read far fewer blogs. I’ve spent much of the past year reading dozens of marketing blogs in an effort to stay on top of my game, but time and time again I find myself drawn back to books (I’m amazed at how often I look to Ogilvy on Advertising for inspiration – it’s 23 years old!). Books require me to step away from the computer (and IM and email) and immerse myself in a subject. Reading Groundswell on my commutes taught me more than any blog has, and it did so much more efficiently.
Don’t get me wrong, blogs still have a place (I’m writing one), but as an educational tool, I feel like they work best as compliments to more vetted media. The (largely self-imposed) pressure that bloggers feel to publish frequently requires them to spout ideas quickly, or riff on others’ ideas. This is great for conversations, and the relationships they help build are priceless—this is, essentially, the thesis of Groundswell. However, I’m convinced that a rich and high-impact education begins by taking in books, stories, papers, articles, lectures, films, and documentaries that have been extensively worked on, reviewed, edited, and re-edited.
Quality is rare. Quality requires effort, and it takes time to emerge. Don’t expect it to fill your feed reader every morning.
I’ll have to check it out. If it is even half as valuable as Ogilvy on Advertising, I consider it a must-read.