We don’t watch television, listen to the radio or read the newspaper anymore.
Ten years ago, this would have been a ludicrous thought for any normal person with a hunger for media. Only hermits could do without being in touch with modern society. Today, it is becoming reality. It’s not that we are all becoming hermits. We are just consuming information in new and different ways. I will talk about how I’ve completely replaced all my traditional media outlets with new media outlets in a future post.
Could the Internet be blamed for single-handedly killing our traditional media outlets? I don’t think so. People are learning more at a much faster pace about how to use their computers, communicate and conduct business.
I believe that it is part of the current evolution of media consumption. Traditional media outlets need to reinvent themselves or perish as they are. Redeveloping their foundation as a web company instead of making their old model fit into the today’s Internet would be a wise decision. They need to know how to do the Internet right and stop thinking about how it used to be done.
In the Middle Georgia are which includes Macon, Warner Robins, Milledgeville, Dublin, Forsyth and surrounding areas, it’s comforting to know that the websites with the leading traffic are still our traditional media outlets. The Telegraph’s macon.com and 13WMAZ CBS’s 13WMAZ.com. That means that many people still regard both these mainstays as our “official news outlets,” and continue to access their online versions. I would love to see the statistics for where in the world those links are coming from and what percentage of them are local.
As more and more people use the Internet for their source of news, more and more people are joining the herds of citizen journalists that report on local events that our “official” media is not covering. The problem is that most of these citizen journalists and local blog writers know very little about search engine optimization, search engine marketing and social media marketing. They also do not have the budget and/or reach that the local media has. The traditional media outlets need to provide these folks with a service that will help them spread their word if they can’t include them as part of the solution.
The good news is that the Internet is a well of knowledge and resources just waiting for people to bring up and absorb the new way of spreading the word, whether it be local news about your family, your school, school sports, your business or your passion. The other piece of good news, but perceived more as bad news, is that the current economy climate is actually accelerating our skills using the PC and learning more about what the Internet can do for us. More and more people today know how to use email, start a blog, capture digital photos or videos, and use social media applications including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. They are doing it because of the sense of urgency and to pursue a more secure position in the future. The ironic things is that we are the cause of the inevitable death of the old or traditional media. We are also the driving force for the birth and continued growth of the new media which now includes all of us.
Where does blogsRoundTown™ and the goRoundTown® Network stand? We support everything local including the local traditional media outlets and plan to promote their local blogs and new media offerings. We support the new players in hyperlocal media including local bloggers blogging about their personal triumphs, teaching their crafts, spreading the word about the fundraising event for their nonprofit organizations or schools, and expanding the reach of their businesses.
So, don’t mourn the death of the local media because they are far from dead. They are just shedding their skin to allow for new growth. I see them being part of our social media world, popping in on conversations, allowing us to embed more of their news videos, clips, etc. in our blog posts, Facebook thread, Tweet, etc.. We will see more coverage of the local community including content from citizen journalists. Content is king and in our market, they are the leaders in providing the most content.
As a web marketing consultant and someone that supports the local community, I do suggest to my clients to consider using local web advertising solutions from the larger media outlets in town, especially macon.com and 13wmaz.com. Make sure to include billboard advertising from Lamar Outdoor, print advertising from Macon Magazine, 11th Hour, Address Macon, Houston Magazine, Georgia Family Magazine, or any of the other specialty print publications, even if it is for the short term at specific intervals throughout the year. It is the fastest way get maximum exposure in the Middle Georgia area.
Search engine marketing and social media marketing are investments for the long-term. Focused advertising via Google Adwords spanning multiple local websites and blogs, good search engine optimization practices, social media participation across the board including Facebook, mySpace, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, and LinkedIn will go a long way to helping you reach your goals.
Here are some more articles about the local media, blogging and the web.
- Laid-off journalists plan news sites
- Mass vs. Local Media: Which Defines Blogging?
- Local Media in a Postmodern World
- 9 Ways for Newspapers to Improve Their Websites
- Why Newspapers Can’t Be Saved, but the News Can
- Broadcast TV Faces Struggle to Stay Viable
Tagged: 13wmaz.com, local advertising, macon.com, middle georgia local media