'BtoB' launches Crain's Social Media Group

BtoB has announced the launch of Crain's Social Media Group, a new division within parent company Crain Communications Inc. that provides social media marketing consulting services to businesses.

The new unit offers social media training, including customized training seminars, personalized executive coaching and social media audits as well as strategic social media planning and execution.

Overseeing Crain's Social Media Group is Tracy Samantha Schmidt, director-training and strategy.

"Clearly, social media is incredibly important in today's business communications mix," said BtoB Publisher Bob Felsenthal. "Tracy and our new division can help executives build their personal business presence and use effective best practices to help grow their companies' businesses."

Most recently, Schmidt worked as a social media trainer and consultant at Tribune Media Group in Chicago, where she co-created ChicagoNow, a network of 350 blogs, and established a nationwide social media training program. She taught more than 2,500 people in 2011.

Before joining Tribune Media in 2008, Schmidt was a reporter at Time magazine in Washington, D.C., covering such subjects as the rise of social media. She has also taught graduate-level classes on social media at DePaul University.

In addition to BtoB and BtoB's Media Business, Crain Communications publishes 27 business, trade and consumer publications and related websites.

For more information about Crain's Social Media Group, see www.crainssocial.com, or contact Schmidt at tschmidt@crain.com or (312) 649-5294.