Dummies books

[Deleted member 61074]

Are they worth buying? I need to read all I can on facebook for Marketing and google adwords I have to admit I like the style in which they are written -much easier than reading dry FAQs etc from a screen. But i am concerned that because they are in print they will be out of date?

 

[Phoenix25]

Are they worth buying? I need to read all I can on facebook for Marketing and google adwords I have to admit I like the style in which they are written -much easier than reading dry FAQs etc from a screen. But i am concerned that because they are in print they will be out of date?

It depends upon which level you personally think you are in terms of Understanding Facebook marketing and Google Adwords. Yes dummy books are nicely written but in the end of the day, its just some text which you might forget after a week or two.
The best way to learn about these things is to use them personally as they are more interactive that way and also it would give you first hand experience to use your imagination and ability to comprehend what you are dealing with.
Though you might need some motivation to start "reading" about facebook and Google adwords but our minds grasps a lot more when we have something alluring to see and interact with rather than just reading plain text.

 

[MattCollins]

Phoenix25 has a good point about getting stuck in and trying it out as well as just reading.

As for books, Google Adwords has been around for a fair while now, and although there are always a few tweaks and developments, the main principles have remained the same. You probably won't go far wrong with a Dummies book for that. (I'd personally recommend another book, the Ultimate Guide to Google Adwords (2nd edition) by Perry Marshall and Bryan Todd, but if you're used to the Dummies books, I can understand you might want to stick with a familiar style.)

As for Facebook marketing, I'd be wary of anything in print form. It's a lot newer and still changing quite rapidly.

 

[PureInk]

I've found that Dummies books are OK if you're completely new to a subject as they cover the basics from the beginning. I personally take things in better by listening rather than reading so check out your local Chamber of Commerce or services like Business Link as they often do courses that cover online and offline sales and marketing.

 

[simonr]

I'd say 'yes'. Okay, they may get out of date gradually but to be honest, once you've got the hang of something you should be able to cope with incremental changes easily enough on your own. These are simply to get you started, right?

S

 

[Deleted member 61074]

The best way to learn about these things is to use them personally as they are more interactive that way and also it would give you first hand experience to use your imagination and ability to comprehend what you are dealing with.

Unfortunately i am the reverse, if I just throw myself at something like adwords which are quite subtle in the way they work I end up with a bad campaign. i'd rather understand what I need to do before taking a running stab at something and costing money.

For example i've just managed to lock myself out of Facebook by not reading that in order to have 2 Admins for a business page you have to log in and set up a 2nd admin. And not do what i did which was to login from a different location and be picked up as a potential hacker!!

Anyway we live and learn!!

goods points have been raised though...

1 Adwords hasnt changed much so the book is probably still be relevant
2 I only need the book to get started
3 Facebook has moved on so the book may well be out dated

Thanks to all who replied

 

[Phoenix25]

Unfortunately i am the reverse, if I just throw myself at something like adwords which are quite subtle in the way they work I end up with a bad campaign. i'd rather understand what I need to do before taking a running stab at something and costing money.

For example i've just managed to lock myself out of Facebook by not reading that in order to have 2 Admins for a business page you have to log in and set up a 2nd admin. And not do what i did which was to login from a different location and be picked up as a potential hacker!!

Anyway we live and learn!!

goods points have been raised though...

1 Adwords hasnt changed much so the book is probably still be relevant
2 I only need the book to get started
3 Facebook has moved on so the book may well be out dated

Thanks to all who replied

Absolutely right, as I said it depends upon the level of proficiency which you personally think you are on. Everyone is different.

 

[Richard Glynn]

I like them.

They are basic but that's a good thing.

Even PR for example, where I like to think I am at advanced level!! The PR for Dummies helps to clarify your knowledge and distils the important bits nicely.

Not a definitive text, but they're only £10-£15. No brainer!

 

[S-Marketing]

I like them.

They are basic but that's a good thing.

Even PR for example, where I like to think I am at advanced level!! The PR for Dummies helps to clarify your knowledge and distils the important bits nicely.

Not a definitive text, but they're only £10-£15. No brainer!

I agree. I have shelves of 'proper' text books from when I was studying for my Chartered Institute exams, but still rate the Dummies guide to Marketing