Whenever I speak at an event, present to a client, or have conversations with others about what I do for a living, I always mention social media. The first question is “what is social media?” When I tell them the basics (that it’s anything that can be created by users whether it be reviews, blogs, social networks, videos, etc) the next question is “How can I do that?”

People get into social media for different reasons. The most popular reason is for business purposes. They want to use social media to market their business. Which is great. But not always the best reason for getting involved. Some are just curious to know what all the “buzz” is about. And all of them are looking for the one answer that will help; the one network they should get on; the one profile they need to set up that will make all their business goals come to fruition. I’ve seen many faces fall as I explain that it’s more than that. It’s the “more” that tends to be difficult to explain.

Recently, I was turned onto a book called Now is Gone. The subtitle is “A Primer on New Media for Executives and Entrepreneurs.” I’ve seen (and read) a lot of books about social media. Many have come close to hitting it right, but seem to fall short of the mark. I’m a huge fan of Cluetrain Manifesto. It is the thing that originally got me interested in social media several months ago. The concept that the internet is really a conversation. Having said all this, I admit I was skeptical. But, I was greatly surprised.

Geoff Livingston has written an excellent book divulging the basics of social media with a keen eye on planning a strategy. I have recommended this book to tons of people who are interested in social media but only have a vague understanding of what it is and how it is being used. He methodically hits on the different types of social media that are available and how they will change PR, marketing, and general business conversations that are already happening online.

The thing I like the most about this book is that Livingston has written it in a way that is conversational, much like social media in general. It is reminiscent of Cluetrain, explaining the best practices of transparency, respecting the communities, and planning the best route to engage in social media rather than trying to control it.

In my experience, the biggest obstacle to anyone engaging in social media communities and online conversations is fear. Fear of negative feedback, of uncontrollable conversations, and the inability to convincingly measure the effectiveness of it all. Livingston lays out a solid foundation that can either dispel or at least dissuade a lot of those fears. The second biggest obstacle is time. And social media requires a lot of time. Now is Gone works on laying out the different types of media opportunities so that individuals can lay out plans and timelines to make sure that what they are undertaking is the best use of their time. And the case studies that are explained in the book highlight successes (and not so hot initiatives) to be taken into consideration as well.

In short, Now is Gone is where to start when you are getting ready to delve into social media. Take the foundational elements to heart as you begin the think through your strategy and lay the groundwork for breaking into Web 2.0.