3 great books for social media beginners

Still not on board with Twitter? Wondering if all these “tweeters” just have too much time on their hands?  If so, Twitter Marketing for Dummies is for you.  It’s the perfect book for readers who just don’t get Twitter and offers an introduction to how and why you would use this tool.

The Social Media Marketing Book by Dan Zarrella gives a broader view of social media, moving beyond just Twitter.  It offers a hands-on approach for getting started with the popular tools such as Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, and LinkedIn.  This book is to the point and very practical.

Catherine Parker’s book, 301 ways Use Social Media to Boost Your Marketing is for people who don’t want to sit down and read a whole social media book.  From the title, you can see it’s one where you can look for tips specific to your need, whether it’s blogging, wikis, or bookmarking.  Not sure what any of those words mean?  The book will explain that too.
 

There are a lot more beyond these three, but this should be a good start for people looking to expand their social media knowledge.

Volunteering in the digital universe

Volunteering has changed. It’s no longer limited to helping the nonprofit in your neighborhood every other Tuesday night. Now, there are opportunities for people without transportation or in rural areas. I mentioned Sparked in an earlier post, which is a way to micro-volunteer from your phone or computer.  I’ve come across two more unique sites I wanted to share with my readers.

Amazee is an opportunity for you to promote your ideas and connect with other like-minded people.  Once you register or connect with your Facebook account, you can suggest a new idea by forming a group or join an existing group.  Amazee describes itself as a “global action network”.

If we ran the world is another way to express your good intentions.  Simply fill in the blank “If I ran the world…” to get your idea going or micro-volunteer for an existing idea.  Once you fill in your blank, you’ll see a list of actions related to your idea and can invite others to help out. Nonprofits can also make requests for micro-volunteers.

And if you’re local to Charleston, SC, of course don't forget SC Path for tech-specific needs and Trident United Way for general opportunities.  Regardless of time-constraints or location, there is a way to help!