The McGraw-Hill 36-Hour Course: Online Marketing (McGraw-Hill 36-Hour Courses)

This book has been a struggle to read. It's not the material---the actual instruction is basic online marketing information that can be found online for free---it's the writing. For a book with the McGraw-Hill name attached to it, I expected better. I hate picking on authors; I know how much work it is to write a book. But in this case I wish a good editor had helped make the book more readable. As it is, the book is a great lesson in how NOT to write. It's full of cliches (e.g. There is no I in TEAM). Lots of exclamation points! And some downright confusing writing.The book begins with three Online Marketing Rules. Rule #3 states "You have conquered all three rules by picking up this book. Don't let it go!" Huh? That's rule number three?The author promises "36 action-packed hours that will lead you to web greatness." The rationalization for this is that the "Web phenomena Facebook started with only a few hours of very simple programming (honestly), and now has a valuation in the billions of dollars." Huh? Maybe I missed the point, but I seriously doubt Facebook is the result of "only a few hours of very simple programming."In describing Chapter 8 the author says "Search Engine Optimization delves into SEO." Isn't this like saying "Search engine optimization delves into search engine optimization?" The author then says "You will also learn how social media (Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, etc) can boost SEO for total web domination." I'm not sure "total web domination" fits with the authors' other remarks in the book about online marketing being primarily about creating valuable relationships, but it seems out of place. I also don't think it's true.In describing Chapter 11 the author says "Online Public Relations will show how PR can be done in your pajamas." Really? Perhaps if you are out of work or a single practitioner working from home. But is that really the focus of this chapter? There are dozens of examples like this throughout the book of writing that seems like it was done hastily, with little editing, and by someone who doesn't inspire confidence in their basic marketing credentials.I wanted to like this book and include it in my own ongoing marketing education (or as the author says, "claim your newfound web wisdom (or shall we say "webdom"?). I do embrace the role of online marketing in an overall integrated marketing strategy. But as a 30-year marketing veteran, I can't say I learned enough to justify the price of the book.As the author (condescendingly) says, "Everyone under 50, and a lot of people over 50 (who are growing younger while living longer), realizes that the web is the key to immediate information and wish fulfillment. The number of people who use the Internet is staggering!" These are the author's words, not mine. I realize that being over 50 makes me a doddering old relic, but hopefully I am one of the over 50 types who is "growing younger while living longer." The last time I looked in the mirror this wasn't happening, but maybe if I spend more time on the amazing Internet?Note from doddering old "over 50" person: I have news for you, I was using a computer in 1982---almost certainly when the author of this book was toddling around in diapers. I was one of the first people to use the freakin' Internet for crissakes.Since the Internet "is the key to immediate information and wish fulfillment," my wish for a new Aston-Martin Vantage should be just be a mouse-click away. Damn! I just tried it and my 1999 Ford Explorer is still out in the driveway. So much for immediate wish fulfillment.

I have read this book from cover to cover and certain sections repeatedly. I bought a number of books in my continuing quest to educate myself in this brave new web world, but the most dog eared book on my shelf is Lorrie Thomas' "McGraw-Hill 36-Hour Course: Online Marketing."I'm an 50+ year old business owner who came kicking and screaming into the wild world of webdom. I didn't know SEO from FBI. I didn't know Facebook from face make-up. I was in the process of needing a new website and new marketing ideas to reach people younger than myself. I was looking for someone who'd tell me what I needed to know in a way that wouldn't A) put me to sleep and B) not assume like many other books do that I have a lot of basic understanding.With The McGraw-Hill 36-Hour Course: Online Marketing I laughed and felt talked to by the author. Ms. Thomas' book helped me go from barely found by the search engines to "Total Web Domination" -- this means when you Google me or my business I totally dominate the search engine listings.Doing the SEO building actions were fun thanks to Thomas' wording and playful examples. I bet she spent a lot of time figuring out how to make the book more fun and less dry. And I appreciated that she wrote it that way.~Calla Gold

This book captures your attention with a multitasking marketing approach to understanding the role of SEO, online advertising, email marketing and social media. The content is very current and easy to read. The book is especially suitable to those seeking a start-to-finish primer written from a practitioner's perspective. In addition, the book serves as a comprehensive overview of online marketing for those familiar with the basics but lost in the myriad of white papers and books devoted to the subject. As an educator, I would recommend Lorrie Thomas' book for classes seeking to capture the essence of social media and internet marketing without the philosophies and theories that confuse students. As a practitioner, I found this book an excellent resource to organize online marketing development steps in a check list style that does not boggle the mind with tech terms, tools and other detail. Bravo, Lorrie! We have adopted the book as a required reading for NSU's MKT5955 course entitled: Social Networking and Internet Marketing for Entrepreneurs.Dr. Jim Barry

Lorrie Thomas' "Online Marketing" is an easy to follow "how-to" book on the use of the web for marketing. Marketing on the Net is a rapidly changing and evolving field so keeping up on its effective use and potential is challenging. Thomas provides a good overview of the current thinking and covers most, if not all, on-line tools. These include: the role and development of a website (the cornerstone); content marketing; blogging (time consuming if you do it right); analytics so you know what is working and what is not; the current thinking on SEO (search engine optimization); email marketing: and online public relations.As a McGraw-Hill 36 hour course, "Online Marketing" offers tests to measure your progress, a free online exam, and a Certificate of Achievement. This is a very basic and useful book for the novice. I highly recommend it.

I got this book to help me prepare for a job where I'm told I'll need to know about online marketing. As such, I think I'm not the target reader as the book seems more geared toward people setting up or running their own business. It was a good introduction to some of the terms and methods used in online marketing. However I felt that there was (for me) a lot of filler, and some of the chapters (particularly the "Builing your Website" one) were light on content. Also there was a lot of repetition and I felt as though the information could've been presented better in about half the number of words. I was really just looking for a reference book, not a motivational speaker. Probably not the worst place to start to get into online marketing, but there are probably more consice books out there.

A good book to get to know the basics quickly. Just what i wanted but it's an American version so rules and regulations mentioned are for the US.

It is very didactic, you can feel that you are doing a course, it uses easy terms, easy to understand even if you have no idea about online marketing.

Unfortunately I never got around to writing a review on this book earlier as it did contain a lot of good information back in 2011 when it was published. But as you know things have changed A LOT in four years so I'm thinking there are probably more current books on this subject out there.

Iintroducción a los conceptos más básicos del Marketing Online. Buena opción para aquellos que no tienen nociones previas de la materia. Demasiado texto, faltan más imágenes.