New book urges brands to prioritise authentic social media

Tom Miner has released his new book, Social First Brands, which examines how today's brands can foster community, loyalty, and growth through human-centric social media strategies.

The book criticises traditional marketing techniques that focus on boardroom-produced messages, which Miner believes often fail to connect with consumers. Instead, Miner encourages brands to pursue authentic engagement by tapping into shared interests and challenges within their target communities.

Social challenges

Miner, who previously served as Head of Global Social Media at Crocs, leverages more than a decade's worth of experience in social media for global consumer brands, B2B technology companies, universities, and nonprofits. His new book draws on his background to outline practical approaches for both established and emerging brands attempting to navigate an evolving digital landscape.

"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," the book states.

Social First Brands is structured to guide CEOs, marketing leaders, and social media managers through digestible steps for formulating effective strategies. The book covers brand personality development for social platforms and gives direction on crafting persistent, consistent messaging tailored to various audiences. Miner suggests that even brands which may seem outdated can revive their fortunes by focusing on a "Social First" mentality.

Authenticity and longevity

The concept underpinning Social First Brands is that authentic interaction is more effective than marketing alone. The book advocates moving away from campaigns focused on fleeting trends and instead prioritises genuine, enduring connections with consumers.

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.

Miner's argument extends beyond simply producing content for social media. He positions social media as a space for dialogue, both between brands and individuals and among consumers themselves. According to Miner, the key is for brands to use social media platforms less as a place to broadcast and more as a tool for listening and participating in ongoing conversations.

The book incorporates examples from a variety of well-known companies, including Crocs, Stanley, McDonald's, and Liquid Death, to illustrate how different organisations have applied the Social First model. Through these case studies, Miner explains the practicalities of shifting a brand's approach to achieve more organic advocacy and loyalty among its audience.

Guidance for practitioners

Social First Brands has been described by its author as a resource for business leaders seeking to place social media at the centre of their strategies. It covers not only how to build a brand community, but also how to convert followers into loyal advocates and secure long-term brand health in a constantly changing digital environment.

Miner insists that a successful social-first approach cannot be treated as a mere marketing formula. Instead, he argues for an organisation-wide commitment to ongoing and authentic interaction with consumers, noting it requires brands to "live" the ethos, rather than try to "fake it."

Notably, Miner's position reflects a growing trend among global brands seeking to differentiate themselves in competitive markets by focusing on people-first strategies, even as the volume of digital marketing messages continues to rise.

Social First Brands is available in both paperback and hardback, targeting industry professionals seeking detailed, practical advice on modern social media engagement.