The moment a message sounds like it was drawn up in a boardroom is the moment consumers tune out. Instead, brands must focus on trying to connect with consumers on mutual ground over shared interests. It’s part art, part science, but success lies in getting people talking about a brand on their terms. That’s the message from Tom Miner, former Head Global Social Media at Crocs and author of new book, Social First Brands: How Modern Brands Create Community, Loyalty and Growth.

Drawing on Tom’s expertise as a social media strategist for hundreds of brands across five continents, Social First Brands provides a refreshing and uniquely human-centric approach to crafting a social media strategy that moves brands beyond the hype of short-lived trends towards creating genuine, long-lasting connections with consumers.

Packed with real-world examples from companies such as Crocs, Stanley, McDonald’s and Liquid Death, Social First Brands breaks down the process of creating an effective social media strategy into easily digestible steps. From developing the right brand personality for social media through to crafting content that is consistent, Tom reveals how even outdated brands can reverse their trajectory and become the next household name by adopting a Social First mentality.

“Traditional marketing messages rarely resonate anymore. The world is simply too noisy. That’s why I love Social First as an ethos. You can’t draft it up in a boardroom. You can’t fake it. You have to LIVE IT and it’s the hardest form of marketing to get right,” explains Tom. 

In the book, Tom argues that while social media plays a dominant role in the success of Social First brands,  it doesn’t simply mean creating content with social media in mind. Rather, it is the practice of getting people talking about the brand, which includes from people to people, from people to brands, and even from brands to brands. But for this approach to be truly effective, brands need to stop using social media as a microphone to talk at people, and instead use it as a hearing aid to listen.

Described as a ‘must-read’ for CEOs, Marketing Directors, VPs, and Social Media Managers alike, Social First Brands is the ultimate guide for brand leaders who want to place social at the heart of their marketing strategy in order to foster authentic communities, create lasting loyalty, and secure brand longevity.