The book launched today. Earlier in the evening the book was ranked number two in its category on Amazon (we try harder)! Thank you to everyone who responded to our call for help and got us there.
Then Lewis Green provided one of the very first reviews of the book, vis a vis an interview on Bizsolutionsplus. Here’s what Lewis had to say:
Over the weekend, I had the pleasure of reading Geoff Livingston’s just-released book, Now Is Gone. It is a good read, and it is full of ideas and information everyone interested in social media should be paying attention to. If you are a business manager or an entrepreneur, this is a must read.
The interview got into some interesting details, too. Here are a couple snippets:
Q. On page 54, you ask: How do you know if new media will work for you? The question implies that social media is not for every business. Is that what you believe?
A. Yes, I do believe that. Eventually all companies will need some sort of social media, but right now it’s not a must. The facts are out there. Sometimes a business’s culture does not lend itself towards a successful social media campaign. While most folks cite astroturfing incidents I prefer to look at boring dead corporate blogs with no comments and few in-bound links. The tools are not right for these companies. And if a cultural barrier exists, it’s better to iron that out or let the market bring more pressure to bear (forcing a change) than to engage and fail.
Q. You seem to believe social media is not about replacing traditional media but about adding to it. Can you explain?
A. Like all things, there’s a time when the pendulum swings far in one direction. We may be in one of those times. The rise of social networks demonstrates a need to aggregate content. Why? Because there’s too much of it! So eventually, it will come down to quality. Quality may be a healthy mix of new and old media, but ultimately the best news sources will never go away. People want them! Even bloggers want them (for example, I’d love to be featured in Wired some day)! Tim Russert will always be welcome in some homes. The difference is with all of the choices, low quality content falls to the bottom. Social and traditional media outlets alike must create great content consistently if they are to retain readership/viewers. Otherwise, fickle communities move on.
Thanks for the kind words, Lewis. Check out the full interview on Bizsolutionsplus.