The Principles of Digital Engagement is a comprehensive guide to engaging, consulting, understanding and generally talking to people through the Internet and social media.

Rather than just teaching you the latest tools, websites and platforms, this book also teaches you the principles behind how to use them. These principles can then be applied to any situation you may find yourself in, leaving you future proofed as the technologies continue to develop.

If you want to get a better idea of the sort of topics it covers, click here to download the chapter list (.pdf, 96kb).

Anyone who thinks it would be useful to find out more about how people communicate online, and how they can make best use of the many opportunities the web provides for talking to people and finding out their views.

People in the public sector could use it to understand more about issues such as running online consultations or engaging local residents using social media. Similarly, there’s tons in there for people in the private sector who want to understand their customers better too.

Of course!

The main idea behind the book, the ‘Participation Party’ analogy, is in Chapter 3, so click here to download that chapter for free (.pdf, 76kb) and see what you think.

As I always say, “I’m not an expert. No-one is. That’s the point”. This book is merely a collection of everything I’ve learned so far, which is all any book ever can be. True Digital Engagement is about constant learning from other people, as no-one knows it all, so always be wary of someone who calls themselves an expert.

That said, I’ve been working in the field of Digital Engagement for over 10 years now, from running blogs and social media campaigns to designing online consultation software and everything in between. I’ve worked for clients like 10 Downing Street, the BBC Trust, NHS London, Glastonbury Festivals Ltd, and tens of other central government, local government, charity and private sector clients too.  I’ve also run lots of training on these sorts of things for governments across the world, from Australia to Saudi Arabia, and was a regular speaker at Consultation Institute training events for a number of years as well.

In 2012 I was named South West Freelancer of the Year for PR and Communications.

It’s fair to say I’ve learned a lot over that time, which I’ve now distilled down to 343 pages for you, so I can get on with learning new stuff.

As a printed book, it’s £12.99 plus postage and packing, and is available through the Lulu ‘print on demand’ service.
Click here to buy a printed copy.

Alternatively, it’s £8.04 as a digital copy for your Kindle on Amazon.
Click here to buy a digital copy.

Sure you can, the book is on sale for Amazon Kindle right now, with other formats coming soon. Click here to buy it on Amazon.

Absolutely, I genuinely love coming to talk to people about this sort of stuff, as I learn from them as they learn from me. Click here to find out about the training I offer.

I’m always happy to look at people’s projects and put together a proposal for what could be done. Click here to find out about my online PR and Social Media consultancy services.

Aw, thank you. I’m always up for taking part in things like these, and have appeared in all sorts of places before now, from addressing a crowd of thousands in Trafalgar Square, to being opinionated on Channel 4 news and co-hosting with Lauren Laverne on BBC Radio 6 Music. Click here to get in touch with me.

There’s a very good reason behind this, which you’ll find out if you read chapter 7, section 7