Social Media Marketing: A Strategic Approach, 3rd Edition

This third edition of Social Media Marketing: A Strategic Approach gives students and working marketers a practical, decision-oriented framework for building social media programs that support real business goals. Rather than treating each network in isolation, the authors connect platform tactics to the broader marketing planning process.

What Makes This Strategic Approach Different?

Many social media books catalog platforms. This one starts with strategy. It walks through the social media marketing planning cycle, shows how to set measurable goals, and explains why listening and audience targeting come before content and promotion. The result is a coherent path from research to execution to evaluation.

From Plans to Platforms and Paid Media

Core chapters examine social platforms and networking sites, paid social advertising, and influencer partnerships. Rather than stopping at organic tactics, the book addresses how paid and influencer activity fit into a fully integrated social strategy. A mini case study on Dunkin’ and ‘The Charli’ ties the concepts to a recognizable campaign.

Content, Stories, and Communities

The middle chapters focus on creating value for audiences: blogs, podcasts, webinars, visual storytelling, white papers, e-books, and article publishing. Later chapters explore virtual communities, social bookmarking, social commerce, and mobile marketing, showing how social engagement moves from attention to participation and purchase.

Monitoring, Management, and a Complete Marketing Plan

The final chapters cover social media monitoring and management tools, organizational staffing, and a full social media marketing plan. An appendix with a sample plan for a fictional café, Caffé Daily, demonstrates how all the pieces come together. This structure helps readers move from individual tactics to a cohesive, accountable social media program.

A Classroom-Tested Learning Resource

As a Cengage Learning title, this digital edition is designed for marketing courses and professional development. Chapter objectives, best-practice highlights, notes, and the cumulative planning framework reinforce key ideas. It is equally useful for instructors preparing course materials and for practitioners who want a disciplined approach to social media marketing.

Digital Delights offers this eBook for readers who need a serious, structured guide to social media marketing without the hype.