I Wrote a Book

Last year was a very busy year for me. It was the first full year of our business (sixty4media), I did a lot of traveling, and I also wrote a book with my co-author Eric Butow in California. Yes, I wrote a book which is now available in e-book and paperback format (published via Pearson Education).

Blogging to Drive Business is a guide for businesses hoping to use or already using social media to enhance their online presence. We cover everything from getting started to addressing negative comments and who should then write the blog.

Eric has plenty of experience writing about using social networking tools as he’s published a few books before (such as How to Succeed in Business Using LinkedIn and User Interface Design for Mere Mortals). It was really great to work with him, especially with me being a first-time author. It’s pretty surreal to see my name in print, instead of on a computer screen.

I have been working in online technology for over a decade now and with my accumulated knowledge, in particular about blogging and social media, I was able to put together this collection of information, advice, and best practices.

This isn’t a book on how to monetize your blog, or on how to turn your blog into a business. This is a book for businesses big or small who would like to learn how to effectively use a blog for their company.

Yesterday the book was featured in a Vancouver Sun article by Gillian Shaw, here is a quote from her review:

“Your blog should complement your other marketing tools to help drive business.” While a lot of companies, as you’ll be able to read about in the book, have successfully launched blogs, others are still questioning their value and debating whether or not they should join in. Bollwitt and Butow answer those questions and more.

Me along with Tris Hussey, Darren Barefoot & Julie Szabo, Steve Jagger & Shane Gibson.
Photograph by: Ian Lindsay, PNG, Vancouver Sun

I sincerely hope that this can be of use to those who know about social media but aren’t quite sure yet how to use it effectively to drive their business. The book was made with the cooperation of some fantastic people, who will see quoted within its pages or featured in screenshots. I also sincerely thank the social media community of Vancouver, which is mentioned in the “dedication” section of my book.

Hopefully local Chapters stores will carry it in stock soon but for now, it’s available online through Amazon.ca and Chapters.ca in Canada. If you or someone you know is struggling with the idea of blogging for their company I think this book can really help.

Also, let me know if you do purchase a copy of Blogging to Drive Business and I’d be happy to sign it for you. It may not mean much in the long run, but I’d just be pretty thrilled to meet those who read my work.