Within 24 hours of its release in mid November the Kindle version of The Headline Edge by Neryl East made it onto Amazon's best seller list.

Ms East’s latest publication is aimed at helping small businesses struggling through the social media storm.

It reveals how they can go about getting into the media rather than focusing solely on social media.

Ms East said in today’s reputation-driven economy businesses blowing their own trumpet on social media was not enough.

She said many operators were seduced by free and easy access to social media where there was now a storm of information barraging people. But everyone needs a mix of marketing tools.

And certain forms of media will help position them as leaders and experts in their field.

“Clearly, no-one in business can afford to neglect their digital footprint,” she said.

“But just as important is their traditional media footprint; in fact, nothing gives more credibility on social media than being able to show you’ve been covered by the “serious” media. Getting into the media used to be important in its own right. Now it’s critical for credibility and positioning. A media story packs way more punch than if you posted something positive about yourself on Facebook. Your message gets amplified because it’s being communicated by a professional reporter who is completely outside your business. Even better, you can then get huge mileage from that one story by promoting it through your own social media channels.”

Ms East is a former television, radio and newspaper journalist. Her experience made her realise how the benefits of traditional media coverage go far beyond one isolated story. She now runs a business called Neryl East Communications and said her latest book was about bringing a media insider’s knowledge out into the open. And spilling secrets on what journalists really look for. The Headline Edge is available at www.theheadlineedge.com.