The dragonfly effect

The social media, which have become available via the internet, offer a powerful tool to get large number of people involved in a project, in particular if you are trying to promote a good cause. However, it can be a daunting task. In The dragonfly effect: quick, effective, and powerful ways to use social media to drive social change, Jennifer Aaker and Andy Smith offer plenty of advice on how to make social media work for your cause.

The book divides the task into four parts (the four wings of the dragonfly). The first is to focus - to make sure you have a clear idea of what it is you are trying to achieve. The second is to grab attention - not always easy when everyone else is trying to do the same. The third task is to engage your audience with your project, for instance by telling the stories of where it has been successful. The final part is a call to action - to get people to do more than just read about your project.

To tell the truth I'm not really convinced of the usefulness of social media - I feel that it is rather over-hyped - and this book didn't do much to dispel my doubts. However, if you would like to use social media to promote your project then you are likely to find this a useful book, in particular because of the step by step guides and the large number of real life examples which are given.