Social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter are fundamentally changing the way businesses and consumers behave, connecting hundreds of millions of people to each other via instant communication. This is a massive socio-economic shift that is fundamentally changing the way consumers and companies communicate and interact with each other.

Welcome to the world of Socialnomics—where consumers and the societies they create online have a profound influence on our economy and the businesses that operate within it. Online word of mouth and the powerful influence of peer groups have already made many traditional marketing strategies obsolete. Today's best businesses and marketers are learning to profitably navigate this new landscape.

Brands can now be strengthened or destroyed by the use of social media. Advertising is less effective at influencing consumers than are the opinions of their peers, making direct-to-consumer marketing messages less valuable each day. But savvy companies are using online networking sites as massive focus groups and as an efficient means of communication with consumers. If social media isn't a part of your business strategy, you've already fallen behind the curve—and your competition.

In Socialnomics, Erik Qualman offers a fascinating look at the impact of social media on business to reveal what the future holds and how businesses can best take advantage of it. He explores how social media is changing the way businesses produce, market, and sell products; how it eliminates inefficient marketing tactics and middlemen; and how businesses are connecting directly with their customers through popular social media platforms.

Social media will continue to change the way businesses market products and how consumers and businesses interact with each other. If you're a marketer or business owner, the big question is whether you'll keep up with those changes. Socialnomics is an essential resource for anyone who wants to understand the implications of social media, and how to tap its power to increase sales, cut marketing costs, and communicate directly with consumers.

"People with a passion for something can be infectious.It's obvious that Erik Qualman's passion is social media."
—Dan Heath, New York Times bestselling author of Made to Stick

"Qualman makes a powerful case that social media has forever changed theway we live and do business. Socialnomics helps make sense of it all."
—Dr. Stuart Levy, Professor, George Washington University

"In Socialnomics, Qualman brilliantly prescribes that the key to social mediasuccess is doing rather than deliberating. This is a must-read for anyone trying to leverage the social graph rather than be squashed by it."
—Steve Kaufer, CEO, TripAdvisor

"Social media isn't just for the next generation—it's for everygeneration. Whether you're an entrepreneur, a media professional,a college student, or a mom, social media will shape your future. Don't be overwhelmed by it; read Qualman's book instead."
—Jane Wooldridge, award-winning journalist, The Miami Herald

"The social media revolution has raised new and important questions and isnow interwoven into our lives. Whether you are an executive, a parent, or abasketball coach, Qualman's Socialnomics is a great guide for these issues."
—Tom Izzo, Head Basketball Coach, Michigan State University

"Social media is one of the most popular activities online today, offeringopportunities for both businesses and individuals to connect with a new audience. Qualman's book, Socialnomics, helps readers understand this behavior."
—Chris Maher, President, Hitwise

"Marketing is experiencing a profound paradigm shift. In the old paradigm,marketers controlled the conversation with consumers through commissionable media—television, radio, newspapers, and magazines. In the new paradigm, marketers risk being marginalized in the electronic dialogue now taking place in real time. Erik Qualman's Socialnomics offers valuable insights that will aid marketers in regaining some control in the perplexing world of modern communication."
—Dr. Eli Cox, Marketing Department Chair, McCombs School of Business

"Erik Qualman has a very bright future."
—Angelo Pizzo, award-winning writer and producer of Hoosiers and Rudy