SHORTLISTED: Business Book Awards 2021 - Sales & Marketing Everyone knows that social media is free, millennials are all adept social media experts, that businesses always have to be available 24/7 and ultimately none of it really matters, as the digital space is full of fake news and online messaging is seen as inauthentic. Don't they? The use of social media as a business tool is dominated by falsehoods, fictions and fabrications. In Myths of Social Media, digital consultant Michelle Carvill and workplace psychologist Ian MacRae dismiss many of the most keenly-held misconceptions and instead, present the reality of social media best practice. Using helpful and instructive, sometimes entertaining and occasionally eye-watering examples of what you should and should not do, Myths of Social Media debunks the most commonly held myths and shows you how to use social media effectively for work and at work.

Misunderstanding News Audiences interrogates the prevailing myths around the impact of the Internet and social media on news consumption and democracy. The book draws on a broad range of comparative research into audience engagement with news, across different geographic regions, to provide insight into the experience of news audiences in the twenty-first century. From its inception, it was imagined that the Internet would benignly transform the nature of news media and its consumers. There were predictions that it would, for example, break up news oligarchies, improve plurality and diversity through news personalisation, create genuine social solidarity online, and increase political awareness and participation among citizens. However, this book finds that, while mainstream news media is still the major source of news, the new media environment appears to lead to greater polarisation between news junkies and news avoiders, and to greater political polarisation. The authors also argue that the dominant role of the USA in the field of news audience research has created myths about a global news audience, which obscures the importance of national context as a major explanation for news exposure differences. Misunderstanding News Audiences presents an important analysis of findings from recent audience studies and, in doing so, encourages readers to re-evaluate popular beliefs about the influence of the Internet on news consumption and democracy in the West.

A provocative look at social media that dispels the hype and tells you all you need to know about using the Web to expand your business If you listen to the pundits, Internet gurus, marketing consultants, and even the mainstream media, you could think social media was the second coming. When it comes to business, they declare that it's revolutionizing advertising, PR, customer relations—everything. And they all agree: it is here to stay. In this lively, insightful guide, journalist and social critic B.J. Mendelson skillfully debunks the myths of social media. He illustrates how the notion of "social media" first came to prominence, why it has become such a powerful presence in the marketing field, and who stands to benefit each time it's touted in the press. He shows you why all the Facebook friends and Twitter followers in the world mean nothing to you and your business without old-fashioned, real-world connections. He examines popular tales of social media "success," and reveals some unsettling truths behind the surface. And he tells you how to best harness the potential of the Internet—without spending a fortune in the process. Social media is bullshit. This book gives the knowledge and tools you really need to connect with customers and grow your brand.

‘The Internet is broken and Paolo Bory knows how we got here. In a powerful book based on original research, Bory carefully documents the myths, imaginaries, and ideologies that shaped the material and cultural history of the Internet. As important as this book is to understand our shattered digital world, it is essential for those who would fix it.’ — Vincent Mosco, author of The Smart City in a Digital World The Internet Myth retraces and challenges the myth laying at the foundations of the network ideologies – the idea that networks, by themselves, are the main agents of social, economic, political and cultural change. By comparing and integrating different sources related to network histories, this book emphasizes how a dominant narrative has extensively contributed to the construction of the Internet myth while other visions of the networked society have been erased from the collective imaginary. The book decodes, analyzes and challenges the foundations of the network ideologies looking at how networks have been imagined, designed and promoted during the crucial phase of the 1990s. Three case studies are scrutinized so as to reveal the complexity of network imaginaries in this decade: the birth of the Web and the mythopoesis of its inventor; and the histories of two Italian networking projects, the infrastructural plan Socrate and the civic network Iperbole, the first to give free Internet access to citizens. The Internet Myth thereby provides a compelling and hidden sociohistorical narrative in order to challenge one of the most powerful myths of our time. This title has been published with the financial assistance of the Fondazione Hilda e Felice Vitali, Lugano, Switzerland.

Social media pervades people’s awareness and everyday lives while also influencing societal and cultural patterns. In response to the social media age, advertising agents are creating new strategies that best suit changing consumer relationships. The Handbook of Research on Effective Advertising Strategies in the Social Media Age focuses on the radically evolving field of advertising within the new media environment. Covering new strategies, structural transformation of media, and changing advertising ethics, this book is a timely publication for policymakers, government officials, academicians, researchers, and school practitioners interested in furthering their research exposure and analyzing the rapidly evolving advertising sector and its reflection on social media.

Everyone knows that social media is free, millennials are all adept social media experts, that businesses always have to be available 24/7 and ultimately none of it really matters, as the digital space is full of fake news and online messaging is seen as inauthentic. Don't they? The use of social media as a business tool is dominated by falsehoods, fictions and fabrications. In Myths of Social Media, digital consultant Michelle Carvill and workplace psychologist Ian MacRae dismiss many of the most keenly-held misconceptions and instead, present the reality of social media best practice. Using helpful and instructive, sometimes entertaining and occasionally eye-watering examples of what you should and should not do, Myths of Social Media debunks the most commonly held myths and shows you how to use social media effectively for work and at work. About the Business Myths series... The Business Myths series tackles the falsehoods that pervade the business world. From leadership and management to social media, strategy and the workplace, these accessible books overturn out-of-date assumptions, skewer stereotypes and put oft-repeated slogans to the test. Entertaining and rigorously researched, these books will equip you with the insight and no-nonsense wisdom you need to succeed.

Social media is a constant factor in modern life, connecting users from all over the world, but its nonstop nature can cause unhealthy stress and anxiety if people aren't mindful of how they use it. This enlightening book offers a comprehensive yet accessible introduction to the concept of social media anxiety, dispelling many widespread myths and replacing them with up-to-date facts. It will help readers identify whether they are experiencing social media anxiety and offers them reliable strategies for dealing with it if they are. Among other features, a Myths and Facts sidebar helps dispel misconceptions about social media anxiety.