Now Is Gone seeks to help businesses embrace Social Media intelligently. Readers can learn if their organization is ready, how to begin, the predominant participation is marketing approach that other businesses are using, social media marketing strategies, and general social media insights. In addition to best practices, the book is laced with case studies that demonstrate corporate successes. This primer provides the quickest way for executives and entrepreneurs to figure out social media marketing.
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About the Author
Geoff Livingston co-founded Zoetica, a social enterprise that provides superior communication consulting, training, and strategy to help mindful organizations affect social change. He has worked as a public relations strategist in the Washington, D.C. region for more than 16 years. Dubbed a "local blogging guru" by the Washington Post, Geoff's award-winning book on new media "Now is Gone" was released in 2007. The book has been cited by the Wall Street Journal as a valuable resource for social media. He continues to blog about nonprofit use of social media for Mashable, and on environmental issues for Live Earth.
He sold his social media boutique Livingston Communications to CRT/tanaka in April of 2009. Some of his professional experiences include United Way of America, Save Darfur, the Goodwill of Greater Washington, Environmental Defense Fund, Live Earth, ChildFund International, the Campus Kitchens Project, the Philanthropy 2.0 Project, Network Solutions, Sully Erna (Godsmack lead singer), and many others.
He sold his social media boutique Livingston Communications to CRT/tanaka in April of 2009. Some of his professional experiences include United Way of America, Save Darfur, the Goodwill of Greater Washington, Environmental Defense Fund, Live Earth, ChildFund International, the Campus Kitchens Project, the Philanthropy 2.0 Project, Network Solutions, Sully Erna (Godsmack lead singer), and many others.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
17 of 20 people found the following review helpful
By S. Naughton
Format:Paperback
Unfortunately Now is gone is not worth buying. It's a book that should have been a pamphlet. The essence of the book is barely a chapter's worth of meaningful material. The book belabors the same point over and over and yet provides little insight into the greater media landscape. I found the book to be a painful read and yet I slogged my way through more out of my own dedication to the topic than the hopes of finding something meaningful. The most interesting part of the book is the last chapter which is a series of interviews with other people. Again, it is from these interview that the author draws much of the material for the book.
If you are truly interested in the topic of social network's impact on media and society check out "Groundswell" published by Harvard Business Press.
If you are truly interested in the topic of social network's impact on media and society check out "Groundswell" published by Harvard Business Press.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Now Is Gone a Must Read for Today's Entrepreneurs and Executives
November 12, 2007
By Lewis Green
Format:Paperback
Geoff Livingston's Now Is Gone is a must read for those business people who want to stay out in front in marketing and communications with their customers. This is a primer that explains the importance and the value of social media. As a business person whose use of social media is responsible for 40% of my business growth in the past year, I urge you to read this book and to begin to imagine how Social Media can be part of your strategic plan.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
If You Have Been Marketing For A Few Years, You Are Probably Out of Touch
February 10, 2008
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
The world is changing fast.
The marketing principles are the same, but the implementation has got to be different.
For a period of time during the last century, big budgets and mass media gave us the illusion of control, we knew that we couldn't force people to talk about us but hoped they would talk about what we planted in the conversation.
Today, that illusion is gone. Customers have more ways than ever to bury you if you don't treat them right.
The good news is, if you treat them right, join the conversation that they WANT to have with you, you can leverage this free power to more profits.
Read "Now is Gone" and stop hanging on to those illusion.
The marketing principles are the same, but the implementation has got to be different.
For a period of time during the last century, big budgets and mass media gave us the illusion of control, we knew that we couldn't force people to talk about us but hoped they would talk about what we planted in the conversation.
Today, that illusion is gone. Customers have more ways than ever to bury you if you don't treat them right.
The good news is, if you treat them right, join the conversation that they WANT to have with you, you can leverage this free power to more profits.
Read "Now is Gone" and stop hanging on to those illusion.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Jake McKee
Format:Paperback
I met Geoff Livingston, author of the new-ish book Now is Gone, at BlogOrlando back in September. He was a great guy, very passionate about his work, so I was excited to read his new book.
The key word here is "quick". This book is a fast, easy read; something most business books don't tend to be. I'm generally a slower reader than most, so the idea of reading a business book cover to cover typically makes my brain hurt. When I started reading this book, however, I was surprised how fast I was making it through. For a book meant to help people understand the basics, this is an admirable trait.
Each chapter in the book is broken up into nice chunks, each with it's own header. This really helps quicker reading, as well as "in and out access" (being able to pick it up, read a few pages between meeting, and put it down again... rinse, repeat). The last 50 pages or so is a collection of interviews with industry interviews that Geoff recycled from his blog. These interviews add a huge amount of credibility and reality to the content you've just read in the rest of the book.
The only real issue I have with this book is that it feels a bit rough in its writing (style and editing). Not so much that it's hard to read, but enough that it might be a hit to credibility to some readers. It's not surprising that this issue exists, considering that the time-to-market of this book was tiny...which means that the content is also extremely fresh and relevant. All in all, I'd far rather see a fresh book than a perfect book.
If you're looking to put a book in front of a client/colleague/executive that helps them understand what this social media space is all about and why they need to pay attention to it, this is a fantastic place to start. Great work, Geoff!
The key word here is "quick". This book is a fast, easy read; something most business books don't tend to be. I'm generally a slower reader than most, so the idea of reading a business book cover to cover typically makes my brain hurt. When I started reading this book, however, I was surprised how fast I was making it through. For a book meant to help people understand the basics, this is an admirable trait.
Each chapter in the book is broken up into nice chunks, each with it's own header. This really helps quicker reading, as well as "in and out access" (being able to pick it up, read a few pages between meeting, and put it down again... rinse, repeat). The last 50 pages or so is a collection of interviews with industry interviews that Geoff recycled from his blog. These interviews add a huge amount of credibility and reality to the content you've just read in the rest of the book.
The only real issue I have with this book is that it feels a bit rough in its writing (style and editing). Not so much that it's hard to read, but enough that it might be a hit to credibility to some readers. It's not surprising that this issue exists, considering that the time-to-market of this book was tiny...which means that the content is also extremely fresh and relevant. All in all, I'd far rather see a fresh book than a perfect book.
If you're looking to put a book in front of a client/colleague/executive that helps them understand what this social media space is all about and why they need to pay attention to it, this is a fantastic place to start. Great work, Geoff!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Jane Quigley
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Many senior executives feel out of the loop with social marketing - they don't understand its application, have privacy concerns and think that it's addressing a younger demographic. What they aren't listening to is the conversation that their customers are trying to have.
I've been giving copies of Geoff Livingston's "Now Is Gone" away to both clients and my senior management - it educates the reader in a straightforward, non-patronizing way, while giving great insight and direction on navigating this new marketing reality.
As someone who is also creating/executing social media strategies for clients, it has tremendous value to me. I find myself rereading certain sections to help me refocus on the basic principles of community building when I'm caught up in a new project.
Both Geoff Livingston's and Brian Solis's (who wrote Now Is Gone's killer introduction - "Engage of Die" indeed!) blogs are on my daily must-read lists (as well as the other media they both produce) and the value that they offer through their various channels is focused in the writing of this book.
I've been giving copies of Geoff Livingston's "Now Is Gone" away to both clients and my senior management - it educates the reader in a straightforward, non-patronizing way, while giving great insight and direction on navigating this new marketing reality.
As someone who is also creating/executing social media strategies for clients, it has tremendous value to me. I find myself rereading certain sections to help me refocus on the basic principles of community building when I'm caught up in a new project.
Both Geoff Livingston's and Brian Solis's (who wrote Now Is Gone's killer introduction - "Engage of Die" indeed!) blogs are on my daily must-read lists (as well as the other media they both produce) and the value that they offer through their various channels is focused in the writing of this book.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
By page 2 of the introduction by Brian Solis, I knew I was in for a great read. Geoff Livingston's engaging, authoritative new book provides a comprehensive overview of social media's impact on the marketing landscape, particularly with regard to public relations and advertising.
Drawing upon a mix of expert interviews, well researched posts from the blogosphere and case studies, Geoff traces the evolution of marketing from a top-down, message-controlled medium to one in which participation is marketing. He predicts the rise of a new type of CMO - the Community Management Officer, who will have responsibility for "fostering online communities and conversations with them."
Not long ago I came across some research that claimed most marketers don't read marketing blogs. If that's the case, they're ignoring them at their own professional peril. Read this book and you'll understand why.
Drawing upon a mix of expert interviews, well researched posts from the blogosphere and case studies, Geoff traces the evolution of marketing from a top-down, message-controlled medium to one in which participation is marketing. He predicts the rise of a new type of CMO - the Community Management Officer, who will have responsibility for "fostering online communities and conversations with them."
Not long ago I came across some research that claimed most marketers don't read marketing blogs. If that's the case, they're ignoring them at their own professional peril. Read this book and you'll understand why.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Focus on social media principles, not tactics
With the Internet continuing to evolve at a dizzying pace, where six months can feel like six years, most printed books about new media are outdated by the time they hit bookstore... Read more
Published on June 11, 2009 by Guy L. Gonzalez
5.0 out of 5 stars
Social media is not easy marketing
For many business and PR people, the new Web is seen as a new medium for the same old message. What Livingston is trying to do is to say "Not so fast. Read more
Published on April 4, 2009 by J. J. Kwashnak
4.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent primer on learning fundamentals of social media marketing.
Every business & marketing book that I've read over the past several years have had some different meaning to me and the latest book by Geoff Livingston is no exeception. Read more
Published on January 8, 2009 by Kenneth Yeung
5.0 out of 5 stars
Enlightenment for those looking for the way
I'm not a PR exec and I'm not a professional blogger. So maybe for those who are much more experienced in the field this is a "no brainer". Read more
Published on October 7, 2008 by K. Forrest
5.0 out of 5 stars
A wake-up call to PR and marketing practitioners
Marketing and PR professionals who successfully make the transition to the world of social media have learned that "participation is marketing," and that's the theme of this... Read more
Published on June 13, 2008
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great for beginners
Now is Gone was written for those who keep hearing buzz words like "social media" and "Web 2.0." It breaks down what social media is and how it will affect businesses and their... Read more
Published on May 12, 2008 by amcmoore
5.0 out of 5 stars
Make your boss read this one!
Do you sometimes feel like you blinked and an entire new way of communicating appeared before your eyes? This book will get you caught up and ready to lead the next lap. Read more
Published on April 25, 2008 by Drew McLellan
5.0 out of 5 stars
Get this book for your Boss
I picked up Now is Gone for a few different reasons. First off, I am always looking for new books to read that espouse opening up the marketing arena. Read more
Published on March 19, 2008 by Greg Hollingsworth
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Real Eye-Opener!
Livingston is one of the go-to guys in the new media space. Read his book and check his speaking schedule to hear him in person. Read more
Published on March 6, 2008 by Robert Deigh
5.0 out of 5 stars
Now Is Gone is BEST for best practices
It's a must read if you're considering implementing a social media program or already have an established one. Read more
Published on February 26, 2008 by Connie
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