Social Business Imperative, The: Adapting Your Business Model to the Always-Connected Customer

Introduction

“A sequel is such a daunting thing, because you don’t want to lose the magic and the charm of the first one.”

—Sandra Bullock

When I wrote my first book back in 2008, social networks were just getting off the ground. The Facebook Era articulated a radical vision for how social media would transform media, relationships, and influence, creating new opportunities for businesses in the process. Skeptics abounded. Even the title of the book was controversial at the time. People needed a lot of convincing that social media wasn’t just a fad, so I drew on academic sociology research and drew parallels to the rise of the Internet 15 years earlier.

What a long way we have come. Today, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t believe ...