Amazon as social networking

With all the buzz in 2009 about the big social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook, I'd like to give a plug to one of my favorite social networking sites.

I know, I know. Most people don't consider Amazon to be social networking. It's shopping, right?

Don't overlook the incredible communities that thrive on sites like Amazon, where customer reviews, profiles of those customer reviewers, author profiles and user conversations take place every day.

My book The New Rules of Marketing & PR has 181 reviews as I write this. The book has sold tens of thousands of copies through Amazon since it came out, so imagine how many people have seen the page?

The first review that people see on the page was written by Brad Shorr on May 30, 2007 - the first day that the original hardcover edition of the book was offered for sale.

How about that for social networking? Brad's review along with his name and affiliation is seen be perhaps 100,000 people. All he had to do was read the book and post a short, thoughtful review in real-time when the book was released.

Amazon customers can also link over to Brad's profile and see the other 250 reviews Brad has done too. Or they can see the review by Jill Konrath in the number two position as ranked by reader feedback. Not bad for Brad's and Jill's personal brands, don't you think?

Think about your marketplace. Why not be the first to review a new book on Amazon? If you're a real estate agent and you write a thoughtful review on a new book about real estate investing, it may be seen by tens of thousands of people.

Don't forget that the author and members of the media will likely see your review too. People who then visit your Amazon profile learn about you and your business and some may contact you. Maybe someone looking to buy a home will see your location and contact you. That's what social networking is all about, right?

Other review-based sites to check out include Rotten Tomatoes (movie reviews), Zagats (restaurant reviews), and Yelp (reviews of local businesses). There are many more such sites. Don’t forget to create a useful profile for yourself with contact information.

But it's not just reviewers. Authors also have a page on Amazon. If you're an author, you need to customize your Amazon page like I did – you can even link your blog's RSS feed to your Amazon author profile.

Thank you for reading this far.

As a bonus for careful readers, I'd like to quietly announce that the second edition of The New Rules of Marketing & PR, completely revised and updated for the new decade, will release in the first week of January 2010. (Note that the nearly 200 Amazon reviews of the first edition will carry over to the second edition upon release.)

You'll find the second edition of The New Rules of Marketing & PR available for pre-sale at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders, Books-a-Million, 800 CEO Read, and other booksellers now.

I'll blog more about the second edition in January. But I wanted you to know first. Thanks for your support.

Comments

[BKHowland]

I've always thought of Amazon reviews as one of the grandfathers of social media. Comments on blog such as this are just different versions of Amazon reviews.

[Doug C.]

Definitely agree with you 100%. I've been using Amazon as a social site ever since I joined up. I love writing reviews and interacting with other buyers of the same interests.

I think the reason most people overlook Amazon as a social medium is like you said - it's a shopping site. But it's just like any other place that has a community and means to interact with them (like Gamespot, for example).

Hopefully more people will catch on.

[David Meerman Scott]

@BKHowland and @Doug C - glad you agree! It really is an overlooked media. When everyone else is going gaga over Twitter, a quiet book or product review gets noticed!

[Bruce Nunnally]

Suddenly a light bulb goes off. Especially with my audience I need to be sharing my Cadillac book reviews on Amazon. Thank you for this article.

[Ari Herzog]

I'll grant you and BK that Amazon is amid a select group of websites that commandeered new media -- but social networking? Where's the networking?

[Ramesh M]

Ofcourse. I have always viewed Amazon as a stellar Web 2.0 company/website. Most of the time, I make my decision of buy/not buy based on just amazon reviews and also the profile of the reviewers. In a way, Amazon was one of the first social networking company and is still peerless when it comes to "social shopping".

Now, if only I can get my hands on that second edition New Rules of Marketing/PR so that I can post a review too :)

[David Meerman Scott]

@Bruce - You have a great blog. Yes, you should definitely post your reviews of Cadillac books on Amazon!

Here's a tip - When you know a new book is due out, try to get an advance copy from the publisher (they will send you one free based on your blog), read the book prior to release, and post the review on the day the book comes out.

You will likely have the first review and frequently that also becomes the most popular review - then it is seen by many, many people.

@Ari - It's just semantics really. You can leave comments on each review, but not that many people do so. There is a lot of networking between reviewers and authors. It's sort of like YouTube in that its a bit of a hybrid. I wouldn't get hung up on that aspect - my point is that Amazon is an overlooked way for people to get noticed in a crowded marketplace of ideas.

Thanks all for your comments. David

[Igor]

+1 totally agree
we using amazon in http://www.MyTaskHelper.com company and very happy with a performance it produce for us

thanks for sharing few more ideas

[Brad Shorr]

Hi David, Thank you so much for the mention. I'd say one of the greatest benefits of my Amazon reviews was the opportunity to strike up a dialog with you. I've met and gotten to know other bloggers and authors as a result of reviewing books online, and besides the business benefit,it's a lot of fun, too.

[twitter.com/CEHueber]

What great points you make! I'm updating my Amazon profile right now!

Enjoy,
Christine Elisabeth Hueber

[David Meerman Scott]

@Brad -- Yes indeed. I've enjoyed meeting you too. And for @Ari - that's an example of the social part.

David

[DaveMurr]

Hi David - thanks for the Amazon tip. I've been searching for active communities outside the Facebook + Twitter combo. This may be something to look into. Looking forward to the revised edition of your book.

[Angelo Furlan]

A second edition? I got the hardcover version from the library (twice) and found it so informative that I bought my own copy (paperback) from Amazon.

And it arrived yesterday. Not the best timing, I suppose.

[nintendo ds hülle]

Seems like a good idea, and Amazon was actually working on that internally from what I heard. They had created a stealth group to research creating a social network with their users/data, but that group was disbanded about a year ago.

[Candy Silvasy]

I have been thinking about this topic and how to weave Amazon into Art of the Spa's social networking strategy since last year. I am a seller on Amazon, am an affiliate, have a book listed and have written a few reviews and linked to Amazon on ThisNext a review site.

I'd like to set up a store with Amazon & maybe create a few lists - and figure out the best way to tie my disparate Amazon activities together for max impact.

Great article, I think it could almost warrant enough for a new book? Spa wishes, Candy Silvasy @artofthespa

[investor business daily]

Well Social media marketing is the process of promoting your site or business through social media channels and it is a powerful strategy that will get you links, attention and massive amounts of traffic.One of the important aspect of social media is quality back links from many websites.Ne ways good post!

[Elizabeth Lingjaerde]

Thank you again for wonderful insight and inspiration. Amazon is one of the oldest, and yet most innovative and effective tools on the net. I can say so after being hooked up to the net since early 1994. I like to think Amazon has the mantra: 'Tell me what you read, and I'll tell you who you are.' They've taken this to the extend they might shape me as I click and search through their web-sites, guided by a very clever and attentive robot, who dare take me to corners I wouldn't know I wanted to visit.
To be unpredictable, surprising and valuable in that sense, is their luxurious service.

It was Amazon who made me buy the book (New Rules on PR and Marketing), which again made me redo my web-site (I am a free-lance journalist, writer and PR consultant), improve my business and hopefully, I'll see the results soon.

[David Meerman Scott]

Hi Elizabeth - thanks for jumping in! Love that Amazon was the reason you bought my book and also love that my ideas have helped you!

David