I kid, I kid. It is actually a book trailer for the forthcoming The Devil Colony from James Rollins.  Is the book worth the hype? Does this kind of video make you want to read the book?

If anyone has read an ARC or has a opinion please leave a comment.

Musician Matt Mazur Tells the Story of “The Great Gatsby” in 60 Seconds

As I have noted before, the fine folks over at NetGalley operate sort of like an open bar for alcoholics. People who just don’t have enough books to read can get a hold of even more!  I kid, of course, as it is a very convenient way to get review copies without making your TBR pile even more of a fire hazard.

Speaking of which, one such digital galley I picked up was The Social Media Marketing Book by Dan Zarrella. Since social media plays a big role in my “day job” I thought it would be worth checking out.

It turned out to be a useful approach but a very basic introduction. A useful and easy to read book for those just looking to explore social media marketing and want to know how to get started.

More after the jump.

It is a quick read well organized. Each chapter tackles a subject and then reviews the high points with bullet point takeaways. It covers all the major areas: Blogs, Twitter (and other micro-blogging tools), social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace & LinkedIn, Media sharing sites like YouTube, Flickr, etc., forums and review sites, and even virtual worlds like Second Life. And it includes  chapters on important strategies and tactics as well a measuring how you are achieving the goals you set.

This is the type of book you could hand to a colleague or friend who was interested in getting started using social media in their marketing but was basically a novice (little to no real experience).

The problem comes for those who have more experience. If you have been on Twitter and Facebook and have used YouTube and Flickr this book is going to seem real basic to you. I can see the value in putting all this basic information in one book and helping you get organized in your approach – or thinking about these sites and tools with a marketing mindset. And there might be an area where you have less experience that this book could fill the gap while serving as a refresher course on the others.

As is often the case, the publisher might be guilty of a bit of hyperbole when it claims

Whether you’re a seasoned pro or new to the social web, this book will take you beyond the jargon to social media marketing mastery.

I think that is a stretch. If you are a “seasoned pro” this book is far too basic and if you are seeking “mastery” this book is really jut an introduction.

As I said above, it is a well done introduction and a useful handbook to get started but if yo uare looking for more detailed strategies or techniques this is not the book for you.

But as I always say, better late than never.  So here is the clip for your entertainment: