Hay, Deltina. The Social Media Survival Guide: Strategies, Tactics, and Tools for Succeeding in the Social Web.

2nd edition. Quill Driver Books. 2011. c456p. illus. appendices. CDROM. index. ISBN 978-1-884995-70-5. $24.

Today it is not enough to have a business email address and website. While content still matters, it is only part of the equation. It takes the power of social media to revolutionize your business and leverage it for success by interacting, sharing, and collaborating in the Social Web. (p. 21) How do you harness this force in the Social Web without completely wasting your time? In this major revision of her previous book, entitled A Survival Guide to Social Media and Web 2.0 Optimization, Hay (graduate education in computer science, applied mathematics, and psychology; President, Dalton Publishing; Owner, PLUMB Web Solutions and Social Media Power; Deltina.com, PlumbSocial.com; Socialmediapower.com), a writer, publisher, veteran Web developer, and pioneer of social media and Web 2.0, presents a no- nonsense, hands- on, nuts- and- bolts, real- world, practical guide to successfully building and optimizing your presence in the Social Web by means of social media strategies and tactics, social media plans, RSS feeds, blogs, WordPress websites, podcasts, vidcasts, webcasts, social networks, micro- blogs, social bookmarking, crowd- sourcing, media communities, widgets, badges, social media newsrooms, social tools, and more. Each chapter is generously- illustrated with numerous, pertinent screenshots of the strategies, tactics, and tools set forth by the author. Not intending her publication to be about social media marketing or web tools, Hay conceived this resource in terms of the goal of helping readers build a solid foundation in the Social Web using Web 2.0 tools that have weathered the social media storm. (p. 22) After reading chapters 1 and 2, which discuss creating a social media strategy and preparing for it, readers can read the various chapters on an as- needed basis or the entire book. While the majority of the fifteen chapters cover social media tools and services--not limited to Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Delicious, Digg, Flickr, YouTube, Scripd, and SlideShare—as they relate to the author’s goal, the final three chapters address pulling it all together, looking to the future of the Social Web, and measuring your success in the Social Web. Four appendices and a companion resource CDROM supplement and complement Hay’s text. Of interest to do-it-yourselfers, small business owners, independent professionals, authors, publishers, marketers, PR professionals, students, and anyone who needs to grow his or her presence in the Social Web, this nicely- presented, well- written, informative, useful, worthwhile, and significant book is an absolute must-read for the aforementioned individuals, possessing a beginner- to- intermediate knowledge of the Social Web. It is very highly recommended for many large public, academic, and special libraries. Review copy. Availability: Amazon, Barnes & Noble.com

Hay, Deltina. A Survival Guide to Social Media and Web 2.0 Optimization: Strategies, Tactics, and Tools for Succeeding in the Social Web.

Wiggy Press, an imprint of Dalton Publishing. 2009. c416p. illus. index. ISBN 978-0-9817443-8-4. $24.95.

With the development of the constantly evolving Internet and its new technologies, more individuals and businesses are realizing that success on the Internet requires maximizing their presences in the Social Web. Here Hay (graduate education in computer science, applied mathematics, and psychology; principal owner, Dalton Publishing, and Social Media Power; founder, PlumbSocial.com; regular contributor to many journals and online news sites), an author, programmer, publisher, social media consultant, Web 2.0 developer, and dynamic presenter, provides an outstanding guide to social media and Web 2.0 optimization. Writing for authors, business owners, entrepreneurs, public relations specialists, marketing professionals, publishers, students, and others, she shows readers how to apply and integrate social media tools not limited to blogs, RSS feeds, content management systems, podcasts, videocasts, webcasts, social networks, microblogs, social bookmarks, crowd-sourcing technologies, media communities, widgets, badges, and social media newsrooms. By means of various chapters that are filled with numerous real-world examples and step-by-step screenshots, the author covers the aforementioned nuts-and-bolts technologies of the new, open-source Internet, but she also goes well beyond the basics. Setting forth proven strategies and tactics, future technologies, measurement tools, and more, Hay provides more in depth guidance from a business perspective. While her book can be read from cover-to-cover, it also can be consulted on an as-needed, chapter-by-chapter basis. It includes many useful, value-added features such as detailed appendices and a companion CD with bibliographies, directories, forms, links to other resources, and worksheets. Easy-to-read, but not a beginner’s guide, this expertly-presented, comprehensive, extensive publication will best serve readers who have some background knowledge of the social web and its tools. A significant, worthwhile resource, it belongs in many large public library collections. Highly recommended. Availability: Amazon, Barnes & Noble.com