Preface v

Part 1. Introduction to Social Media 1
Top 5 Rules of Social Media 1
Four First Steps to Social Media Success 3
Four More Steps to Social Media Success 4
Getting the Most out of LinkedIn.com 5
Ten Steps & Thirty Minutes to a Complete LinkedIn Profile 7
Facebook for Business 8
Your Local Free On-line Business Networking Resource 9
Why Blogging is Relevant and How to Get Started 13
Why Micro-Blogging is so Popular 16
Ten Steps to Improve your SEO 17
Online Advertising for Businesses with Local Customers 20
Getting into the Spotlight with Video and Audio Marketing 22

Great book for connecting the dots between the various social media platforms and how to use them to promote your business. - Jerry Helms

Martin, Your book is fantastic. I'm using it to get started with what I've learned from your class. Thanks!
- Susan Hasty

Part 2. Social Media/Social Networking Directory 24
Business-Focused Social Networking Sites 24
Social Networking Sites with a Personal Focus 26
Social Bookmarking 27
Blogging 28
Free Blogging Sites and Hosts 28
Paid Blog Sites 29
Blogging Examples from Triangle Business Bloggers 29
Blog Readers / News Aggregators 30
Blog Social Networks 30
Blog Statistics 31
Blog Feedback 31
Blog Syndication/ Subscriptions 31
Photo resources for Blogs 32
Widgets 32
Micro-Blogging 32
Twitter 32
Stats 33
Backgrounds 33
Tracking 33
Searches 33
Desktop apps 34
Finding Local Twitter Users 34
Finding Other Twitter Users 34
Update Your Blog Post on Twitter 34
Tiny URLs 34
Aggregators 35
Photo Social Media Sites 35
Audio, Video, Music & Multimedia Resources 36
Video 36
Create Your Own Videos (from Photos and Audio) 36
Music Sharing 36
Podcasting (Audio) 37
Radio Hosting 37
Live Video Streaming. 37
Mixed 37
Online Speed Networking 38

I was compelled to tell you thank you, thank you, thank you! This is a great resource book for on-line. The directories, the glossary, just everything about it helped me to understand what I’ve been missing…Thank you for doing such an awesome job! I look forward to being enrolled in one of your classes again... I shared your book on Social Networking with my two teenage sons, and all they could said, was "WOW." This goes ditto for me. Our family thinks it's the best. - Denise McCollough

This book is an excellent resource for any person that would like to work in Social Media in the this region. Martin and the other knowledgeable associates who contributed to this book provide valuable information in an easy to read format. Get this book. You will get more than 5 workshops of indispensable information from the material and still have the guide to return to again and again. Thanks Martin!
- Diane Moore

Part 3. Online Business Resources 39
Websites 39
Domains 39
Free Web Sites 40
Paid Websites 41
Website Editors 41
Popular Web Authoring Software 42
Content Management Sites 42
Triangle Website Development Resources 42
Search Engine Optimization 42
Free Keyword, SEO and Competitive Tools 43
Paid Keyword, SEO and Competitive Tools 43
Advertising on Online Business Directories 44
Free Directories 44
Free and Paid Directories 44
Paid Directories 44
Pay Per Click Advertising 45
Tracking Your Presence on the Web 45
Online Business Applications & Tools 46
Integrated Applications and Collaborative Workspaces 46
Teleconference calls 46
Free Webinars 46
Paid Webinars 47
Text to Speech Tools 47
Speech to Text Tools 47
Affiliate Links, Making Money on Blogs /Websites 47
eCommerce Sites - Shopping Carts for Products 49
Selling Digital Media, Audio 49
Create a Membership Site 49
Create your own Free Social Networking Site 50
Email Marketing - Contact Management 50
Publicity 51
Press Release Submission 51
Free and Low Fee Press Release Publishing 51
Paid Press Release Distribution 51
Events & Classified Services 52
Products, T-Shirts, Bumper Stickers, Cards 52
Self-Publishing 53
Free Self-Publishing – Print on Demand (POD) 53
Paid Self-Publishing 53
Social Publishing Platforms 53
Article Submission 54
North Carolina Resources 55
Triangle Media & Resources On and Off-Line 56
Triangle Newspapers Online 56
Triangle Magazines’ Web Sites 56
Triangle Online Communities 57
Television Related Social Media Sites 57
In-Person Resources 58
Reference Sites 59
Glossary 59
Contributors 61
Notes 69

I thought the book was great! ... It would take me months and months to figure out all the info it had in it all by myself, and even then I wouldn't understand it. Martin's book guided me through it and now I have a better understanding of social media! Thanks Martin!
- Holly Beeson Owens

The book is awesome! What a valuable resource!!
- Angel Lentz Lebak