"A must read for anyone who wants to be successful with their digital marketing." - Greg S. Reid, bestselling author of Three Feet from Gold The 7 Critical Principles of Effective Digital Marketing is an attempt at establishing a baseline for one of the most tumultuous and change-ridden industries in existence. It takes a step back from the strategies and tactics that most digital marketing approaches start with and, instead, establishes a core and foundational structure from which all digital marketing initiatives can and should operate. The 7 Principles are simple without being simplistic and help to align digital marketers with a set of axiomatic, unchanging and foundational beliefs. In fact, these 7 principles may be the only thing about digital marketing that won't change. A note from the author: Oh, look! You're reading the synopsis. That means I've got another sentence or two before you get bored and jump ship to go roam greener pastures. I get that, I do the same thing all of the time. Here's the problem with my book: That sexy little tidbit that you're looking for...you know, that hint, tip, trick, hack, best practice, "whatever" that'll make you an instant digital marketing demigod...it ain't here. I'm not saying it doesn't exist. I'm not saying Santa doesn't exist either. Here's what I am saying: maybe, just maybe, we're doing this wrong. I said "we" because I'm one of you! I'm a professional digital marketer (10 years and running!) and I do the same stupid thing that all of us are guilty of. I go out hunting for quick-fix content that'll give me some sort of blueprint to success as if digital marketing genius comes in a template. That's exactly why I wrote this book. Yes, strategies, tactics and best practices are important. But more important than any of that, something truly irreplaceable and a prerequisite to any lasting success: Principles. Here's the problem that I face: Principles aren't sexy! They just aren't. Tips and hacks and all of that crap, easy to sell. But principles...' Yawn! So, dear reader, I issue you a warning: if you're looking for that casual read that'll just drop a couple of little nuggets to simply make you sound smart the next time you're at a conference, I invite you to look elsewhere. (You're looking for dessert and I'm offering up that deep-dish beef stew your mom used to make on rainy days.) However, if you want the real deal, feet on the street, decade in the making, principle-centered, value driven, foundational approach to digital marketing: You found it. It's time we put down our plastic spiderman sporks and pick up the fine silver so we can sit at the big boy table with every other industry. It's time for digital marketing to have a principle-centered foundation. I hope you'll join me. Thug life, Kasim