The New Rules of Marketing and PR: How to Use Social Media, Online Video, Mobile Applications, Blogs, News Releases, and Viral Marketing to Reach Buyers Directly, 4th Edition

More than anything, The New Rules of Marketing & PR ties things together. The book provides an easy to understand yet comprehensive view of the new online marketplace--a landscape that can appear quite bewildering, even to marketing specialists. With so many options at our fingertips (literally), where do we start? Blogs? Podcasts? Public relations? SEO? Paid search? Viral marketing? The list goes on. To make matters worse, technology is changing and new tools are developing almost every day. In the early chapters, David takes a high altitude look at online marketing options, showing us how they developed, why they're important, how they work, and why they work. In later "Action Plan" chapters, he jumps into the trenches and shows us how to actually use the tools and implement programs. Throughout, he uses detailed case studies to illustrate not only the programs but the amazing results they can achieve. But it isn't just the latest and greatest technologies that are crucially important. Public relations, for example, has been around since Gutenberg but for the first time is practical for a small company. Traditional PR was cost-prohibitive and dependent on unreachable key media contacts. But in the new world-- "...your primary audience is no longer just a handful of journalists. Your audience is millions of people with Internet connections and access to search engines and RSS readers." (Chapter 5) Today, public relations may be the single most underutilized tool in the marketing arsenal. Another "old" technology David brings us up to speed on is the corporate Web site. In fact, the three most important points I got out of The New Rules of Marketing & PR have enormous implications on traditional Web development. Those key points are-- 1. The most important New Rule is CONTENT. Design is important. Technology is important. But without extraordinary content, you're doomed. 2. Interruption marketing (think spam and pop-up ads) has given way to consumer-driven marketing. Yippee! "The Web is different. Instead of one-way interruption, Web marketing is about delivering useful content at just the precise moment that a buyer needs it." (Chapter 1) 3. The starting point for any New Rule program is to create customer personas. If you're going to have extraordinary content that motivates buyers to take action, you'd better know your customers inside-out. David explains how these three principles should influence not only your corporate Web site, but every other online program you undertake. Thankfully, David is understandable as well as instructive. One reason I've enjoyed his blog for over a year is his conversational, entertaining writing style. He makes learning easy (which is harder to do than you might think). Anyway, his book is just like his blog--illuminating and fun. The New Rules of Marketing & PR presents the most complete picture of any book I've read. For the marketing specialist, it will fill in the gaps. For the generalist, it will open up a whole new world.

In this excellent guide, Mr. Scott points out that, under the old rules, you had only two options for getting the word out about your organization and its products: you could spend a lot of money buying advertising in the traditional media; or you could issue press releases to targeted media reporters, in hopes that they would find them "newsworthy" enough for a story in their print or broadcast medium. Advertising was, and still is, is costly and imperfect way to reach potential customers, especially TV, which is generally the most expensive of the traditional media, but arguably the most effective. However, all traditional advertising suffers from certain drawbacks: it is largely non-selective, being beamed out to anyone watching at the time it airs; it is one-directional, thus lacking in feedback; and it is based on interrupting the customer's entertainment, which makes it inherently irritating. Traditional PR is also one-directional and highly uncertain, since it relies on persuading some reporter that the subject of your press release is worthy of a story. The new media, on the other hand, especially those forms based on the Web, are inexpensive, two-way and highly targetable. Far from interrupting the customer's entertainment, the best of the new media - such as search engines, podcasts, blogs, web sites and social networking - are actually sought out by people looking for something specific. Often, they have a problem; and your product may provide the solution. When done well, these media can also be highly entertaining, which can cause your campaign to take off, or "go viral". You can also interact with potential and established customers, which not only increases the chances of sales, it also provides you with valuable consumer feedback about your product. Scott recommends that you start by defining your set of potential customers: define their characteristics and name these profiles. Then you can design your blog, web site, etc., to address the needs of each of these named groups. He suggests ways to do this, and describes what is needed to use each of these tools to best advantage. Highly recommended reading for anyone wanting to sell products or services inexpensively and creatively in the 21st Century!

David Meerman Scott's The New Rules of Marketing and PR: How to use Social Media, Online Video, Mobile Applications, Blogs, News Releases and Viral Marketing to Reach Buyers Directly attempts to help PR and marketing professionals learn to take advantage of the web to reach buyers, drive buzz, receive new product feedback and boost sales. That is, to help professionals "[use] the web to drive people to an offline initiative," (Meerman Scott). To do so, Meerman Scott must first prove that traditional advertising and marketing isn't always the most effective or efficient - and in doing so, he proves that the web is more effective in reaching consumers due to the emergence of digital and social media. He demonstrates the success of his theory directly, through the marketing efforts of this book via the web. Many were able to follow the construction of the book by section, as he published them online. Through online connections, Meerman Scott was able to reach his intended audience of marketing and public relations professionals in an online world they connect with on a daily basis. Meerman Scott argues the benefits of using the web as a resource to reach buyers. He writes, "The web has opened a tremendous opportunity to reach niche uyers directly with targeted information that costs a fraction of what big-budget advertising costs...If you aren't present and engaged in the places and at the times that your buyers are, then you're losing out on potential business" (Meerman Scott). He argues that the web is a good resource for reaching buyers because it is the primary source of information consumers consult before making a purchase, it allows you to provide direct, targeted and interactive marketing - giving consumers what they want and need from your company. His argument centers around the claim that we need to change the way we market and advertise for a new, more receptive audience. Because the web is the new best way to reach potential buyers, Meerman Scott argues that the web can take the place of, or transform traditional marketing and PR strategies. He writes, "these [traditional marketing] efforts made us feel good...but the programs were not producing significant, measurable results because we were working based on the rules of the past...online content in all of its forms is causing a convergence of marketing and PR that does not really exist off-line" (Meerman Scott). David Meerman Scott effectively supports each argument with critical analysis as well as real-life examples of the success of connecting with consumers via the web. The web allows any company to reach buyers directly, which is the basis for Meerman Scott's claim that the web is the best new resource available for reaching buyers. He supports this claim first with a discussion of consumers' use of the web as an informational resource when considering a purchase. He writes, "consumers search the internet for answers to their problems...they are searching for what organizations like yours have to offer" (Meerman Scott). Research, Scott Claims, suggests that advertising is most effective when it reaches the buyer during the correct stage of the decision making process - the research stage - and that before making a purchase, buyers search for information online. Scott uses the example of the bicycle company Cervélo, who uses the web to reach buyers researching bikes to buy. "'Because of the keyword-rich cycling content available on the site,' Vroomen says, `Cervélo gets the same amount of search engine traffic as many sites for bike companies that are ten times larger" (Meerman Scott). The creator of Cervélo says, "The content is valuable and authentic compared to the marketing messages that appear on so many other sites." Similarly, another small company, the Lodge at Chaa Creek, uses similar strategies to reach consumers looking for places to visit and stay. This flows into his analysis of the capabilities of web content allowing companies to give consumers what they want and need - targeted and interactive marketing. Content "is your tool to show off your expertise" Meerman Scott says. Successful personal trainer, golf coach and businessman Mike Pederson says, "I like to call it targeted content. When I write an article, I'm targeting a very specific element of golf for my readers." The web, Meerman Scott explains, allows businesses to create content that consumers seek. All of these arguments and examples support Meerman Scott's claim that companies need to change the way that they market and advertise for a changed, web-saavy marketplace. He writes, "Instead of causing one-way interruption, marketing is about delivering content at just the precise moment your audience needs it. Marketers must shift their thinking from mainstream marketing to the masses to a strategy of reaching vast numbers of underserved audiences via the web" (Meerman Scott). Proof of this, Scott says, lies in examples such as Century 21. Bev Thorne, chief marketing officer at Century 21, says "We found that our online investments provided a return that was substantively higher than our more traditional TV media investments." David Meerman Scott's explanations and analysis of the validity of his key arguments, and the real-world examples he provides readers are persuasive and logically unbiased. One can argue that his investigation of and explanation for his arguments fully support his arguments and convince the reader that perhaps we really do need to look at the web as an effective tool for reaching consumers. Scott successfully achieves his objectives in writing the book, his thorough analysis and explanation engages the reader and gives the professional the tools and background necessary to begin to utilize the web to achieve marketing initiatives - which was his goal in reaching professionals through this book. Scott's book verified the importance of digital and web-based marketing for myself as a reader, and persuaded me that perhaps more companies need to look to the web when considering marketing objectives and goals. I found his analysis and discussion intriguing and enjoyable. Though a long read, I would recommend this as a fun read for anyone interested in digital marketing, or anyone looking to incorporate web-based communications into their marketing strategy.

The New Rules of Marketing & PR is an extensive and thorough covering of the many different types of online advertising, marketing and public relations that are available through several different online mediums. David Meerman Scott has done a thorough job of updating prior editions of this work and in this 4th edition, he provides information that is timely and helpful. The book progresses logically through how online marketing and PR have changed all marketing and PR. Old rules in this area are examined and shown as to how they are no longer effective and then the new rules are given in a general presentation. From there the book goes on to handle a myriad of different topics in a manner that lends itself to reading the book sequentially through or simply using it as a reference book. Addressed within the book are topics such as Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Pod-casting, vlogging, managing content, and then further, how to build and manage a campaign, customized to whatever goals you are working toward. The book concluded then with specialized handling of the media and how to utilize the web and tie into news cycles to promote your services and/or products. This is likely the most thorough resource available in this area. In addition, there are online resources tied to the book and author that are updated online regularly. The value of the book is more as a reference but for someone who wants to get a strong overview (such as I did) reading through the book is a valuable exercise. 5 stars. I think this is about the best reference you can obtain for online marketing and PR. bart breen

David Meerman Scott is a beguiling writer. His style has the comfort and feel of a casual conversation with an old friend. This makes his book a quick and enjoyable read. So, you might not expect to get great depth and insight from it, but you definitely do. I approached this book as a marketing and organizational development generalist who wants to maintain an up-to-the-minute, management-level understanding of core business areas such as marketing and PR. This book delivers. And not only is it practical at my level, it should be required reading for small business CEOs and non-marketing executives as well. They need to read this book before they delegate marketing and PR responsibilities. To do otherwise is to invite clichéd recommendations on the way marketing and PR used to be done. Take, for example, the chapters on How To Use News Releases To Reach Buyers Directly and The Online Media Room: Your Front Door For Much More Than the Media. First, Scott reminds us that content is king, and that the purpose of news releases and outreach to the media is to bring potential buyers into the selling process. Then, in additional to all the SEO tactics you are already familiar with, we learn to: * Think like a journalist and write for buyers. * Publish news releases through online news release distribution services and simultaneously to your website. * Publish frequently, at least once per month, and don't wait only for major stories. * Include calls to action for journalists such as exclusive interviews. * Create landing pages for journalists with a registration form. * List executive appearances, conferences, and tradeshow appearances. * Have RSS feeds enabled in your online media room. If you enjoy and benefit from this book as much as I did, you'll also want to catch his blog at [...]

As the title suggests, David Meerman Scott's "New Rules of Marketing & PR" charts a new course for how companies should spend their marketing and pr time and dollars. Leveraging the relatively new technologies like the web, email, and social media Scott outlines new methods for getting your company in front of buyers. Best of all, these new rules can be applied to any company, regardless of industry. Obviously, if there are "new" rules, there must have been "old" ones. Diligently, Scott discusses those old rules, from spending hard earned money on "interruption" advertising, using traditional methods of press releases, and public relations in the pre-new media days. It sets the stage for the "New" rules which rely heavily on the world wide web, content, and the ability of firms to reaches their buyers directly, rather than have to go through a host of intermediaries. From the use of blogs, to using different web services to issue press releases, from other types of social media, and emphasizing thought leadership and quality content, Scott, goes in depth how a "new rules" driven marketing and pr department can have a greater impact than they could have had using the old rules. The key component is that content is king. For marketing and communications departments, producing quality content in the form of white papers, or case studies, is a great way of reaching your buyers. More importantly, thought leadership positions your company to be viewed as a respected leader, something that is critical in the buyer driven sales process. A critical component to the "new rules" is the creation of buyer personas. If you are familiar with the work of Adele Ravelle ([...] then you are familiar with the process. If not, it is an exercise in identifying those individual types who would buy your product. More importantly, those personas provide insights in how to market to them directly. Since much of Scott's book does rely on new media, he also spends time discussing new technologies like podcasting, videocasts, and social media sites like MySpace. The great thing about Scott's "new rules" is that it is for you, the marcomm director, to take advantage of. Many of the resources are open directly to you, at your control. If you are like me, at a company that is looking to take greater control of marketing and communications, become more effective, and do it in a way without the need of an agency, this is a fantastic book. I highly recommend.

An interesting book, but I was expecting more on social media an other online marketing stuff, as the title suggests. This book focuses more on content, blog and new rules for PR. While I do agree that content is strategic, I do believe that there is more to web marketing. I found the new PR techniques and the way to redefine the audience very interesting. Whether realistic and 100% implementable in the corporate world is another question, but it has the merit to make people think about what could be changed.

David Meerman Scott practices what he preaches. He used his blog, Web Ink Now ([...] to develop content for this book. The book's thesis is that the Web offers companies and organizations of all sizes the ability to get, "...the right message to the right people at the right time." Its main strategic point is that marketers should focus on buyers and their problems (rather than hyping products and services), and think like a publisher by, "...delivering content when and where it is needed and, in the process, branding you and your organization as a leader." To me, the book's greatest value is its in-depth examination of new media tactics and channels, such as blogs, podcasts, videos, search engines, online media rooms, and more. The book is structured like a blog, and divided into three sections: 1) How the Web Has Changed the Rules of Marketing and PR, 2) Web-Based Communications to Reach Buyers Directly, and 3) Action Plan for Harnessing the Power of the New Rules. If you are just dipping your toes into new media marketing, read the whole book. While information in some sections is redundant, it will be worth your time. If you are already involved in new media marketing, dive right into section three's action plan, where information is cross-referenced (like a blog) to earlier sections in case you want to dig deeper into any specific subject.