Social Networking and Self Branding

A BOOK REVIEW:

Besides facilitating information dissemination, building relation and making world much more 'connected' than ever before, Social Media websites like Facebook and Twitter are branding you and your business. Each time you update your status message or tweet, it creates an impression about you and forms an image in the mind of the reader. This is a continuous process and slowly but steadily 'perceptions' emerge or get modified or change about a person or a firm by the way their social media presence is executed. What appears a casual activity may have a deep implication. The current scenario shows that our happiness/protests/consolations are much more worldwide. In the Indian context, last two years activities and people's participation depends upon how the news spread through social media. Insights and observations held for making social media presence more effective beyond casual usage. Books has been published on the topics like "how to build a holistic perspective on Social Media" etc.

A great book on the same series is out, Social Media Simplified : Twitter Facebook-beyond Casual Networking, written by Vijayendra Haryal, Anandan Pillai. In their own words "With the advent of social media and its supporting tools, only a few people have managed to harness its potential to the maximum and have been overwhelmed with the results obtained. We believe that facets of social media unknown to you would be unraveled as you read this."

Majority of the population believes in just “re-connecting via these networking sites with long lost friends and people”, and avoid the other advantages of social media. This is where the book comes as a boon. Though it has a text-book sort of a feel to it, the knowledge it imparts is impressive. Clearly marked chapters, a brief summary of what they aim at discussing and a glossary of terms at the end, to help newbies understand the terminologies used.

If you are keen on learning the in-and-out of social media, this book is a must have. If you don’t believe much in the online marketing world, go through the book and you’d be surprised at the wonders online marketing can create. It has good insights on engaging people, customers, potential customers, brand building, image building, etc.

The authors, Vijayendra and Anandan have clearly marked the Do’s and Don’ts of social media in a simpler manner. It’s quite an enlightening read to know how social media powers can be harnessed in any field –from journalism to recruitment, to politics, to everyday life! Social media works 24x7. The next time you update your FB status, or send out a tweet, remember you are branding yourself.