While I have enjoyed the polished videos from StomperNet (I am not a member, just a curious browser) as much as the next social marketing “maven”, I had to smirk just a t-e-e-n-s-y bit as I watched their latest video announcing the release of The Social Marketing Tool Kit.

Don Crowther, one the StomperNet faculty waxed on, in his strange computer-like voice, about the “latest trend” in marketing and how the “fast mover” advantage was decreasing. Yes, the video, like the rest of the StomperNet publishing juggarnaut, was well produced and informative.

I have no qualms with the content, in fact, I suppose it is tough to publish any bit of content when you are trying to appeal to the masses of info junkies who scour the net each day to find the next distraction that will keep them from actually having to do some real social marketing and make some real money.

What was funny to me was the way they positioned themselves as leaders in the social marketing field. Most folks, especially the experienced Stompers, would know that social marketing took fire early last year (or before) and that the original “social marketing tool kit” was Jack Humphrey’s Authority Black Book.

This one free resource was single-handedly responsible for a major shift amongst many internet marketers (including some of the big guns) from static html and landing page/PPC only sites to full-fledged authority site building with a Wordpress blog; broadcasting themselves (for free) through as many Web 2 channels (i.e. RSS, Squidoo, Video, plugins, etc.) as they could get their low-paid virtual assistants to handle.

It was also recognized by Mashable.com as 2007’s #1 Free Ebook for Bloggers.

So, I am actually quite pleased to see the guys (and gals?) at StomperNet validate this “trend” albeit 1.5 years late.

Now, when any of my clients question me about this “blog marketing thing” that I am pitching at them, all I will have to do is show them StomperNet’s massive internet presence and Don’s well produced video and tell them that I have been doing exactly that for almost 2 years now.

And, although I have not read StomperNet’s Social Marketing Tool Kit (which I will of course, mainly for the cool smileys and clever clipart) I am sure it will be a big hit with internet marketers.

If you are serious about getting “in-the-trenches” social marketing strategies and tactics, stay tuned for the 2008 version of The Authority Black Book which (I heard form a reliable source) is coming soon…