Tag Archives: new media

New Media and YOU – Farewell

imageAlas, our class is coming to its semester end, and sadly, so is our blog :-/ But fear not! We will not leave you hanging. Over the course of the semester, our blog has featured various social media platforms and how your business/organization can use them to connect with your audience. Before we go, let’s go over some of the key points that similarily spanned across our posts. These are good things to keep in mind no matter what platforms you are using.

Social Media Tips Recap

  1. Be in dialogue with your audience
    The Web 2.0 is all about user-generated content. People like to be part of the process, so always show them that you’re open to that. Respond to comments as best you can, hold contests, and show you’re listening.

  2. Use tags
    Whether it’s hashtags, keywords, or @mentions, use the platform’s tagging capabilities. It makes you more searchable and increases chances of popularity and reach.

  3. Choose platforms wisely
    Finite resources makes everything a challenge. We have so much to do in limited time with limited money and limited people. Make sure the platforms you’re using to reach your audience has matching demographics and psychographics. For example, a small motorcycle accessories business might have a tough time on Wanelo, but Facebook and Instagram would probably have better results.

  4. Be transparent
    Many of our tips have suggested to do things like featuring employees or showing how a product is made. It brings the audience to the other side, and they feel included. Let them in on what your organization is about. Trust from your audience and the feeling of belonging goes a long way.

Blogs To Follow

We don’t want your knowledge of social media to end with this blog. So, here are some other blogs and sites we think will serve you well:

Personally, we really suggest Bill Crosby and Social Mouths – they’re fun blogs and full of great information. All of the above sites are great though.

Thank you to everyone who has followed, reposted, liked, and commented on our blog. We appreciate interacting with you and receiving your support.

~ Katie, Amy, Myah, Carley, Staci

Vine and YOU

Credit to Tech Crunch http://goo.gl/eJDnt

Credit to Tech Crunch http://goo.gl/eJDnt

Do you find yourself lying in bed at night wondering how else you can get connected? Lucky for you, Twitter’s new standalone app, Vine, is the latest media craze. Users can create six-second videos by holding their finger on the screen. When you lift your finger off, it stops recording; leaving you with the ability to record any sequence of six seconds into a video (Pocket-Lint).
These videos can then be shared on the Vine app, as well as be embedded into Facebook and Twitter posts. You can follow other users, “like” videos, and comment on them just like any other social media site. Vine is essentially Instagram with sound and motion, unfiltered.

Uses:
As great as Vine seems for just killing time and expressing some creativity, it can also uniquely be used to build/promote your business. This app gives you the ability to show 360 degree views (a boutique could circle around a new pair of shoes); you can use stop motion (a restaurant could show the progression of a dish being made); or you could show before and after pictures (a stylist could show a client before and after their treatment). (Steam Feed).

The possibilities are endless.

Vine is also a very nice, non-pressured way of getting into video. It holds a little more artistic class than YouTube by the very nature of the way that it’s shot and the six-second limit is a good ceiling to channel your ideas about what you can do with it. You also don’t need any video editing skills whatsoever. ~Pocket-Lint

If you’re thinking of giving this whole Vine thing a try, keep these tips in mind…

Vine Tips

  1. Visual Simplicity
    You want to be able to reach your whole audience, right? Try to avoid trying to send a complex message in a six second window.

  2. Integrate Customers
    By making contact with your customers, you’ll be able to create a community by generating more activity. By integrating DIY videos, creating contests, and allowing other users to send their ideas to you, you’ll be able to get feedback while showing your appreciation to your customers.

  3. Niche Market
    Show your customers who you are, humanize yourself a little! You can share videos of employees so the community can get to know them, tell stories through your videos; give them a reason to come back.

  4. Easy Discovery
    Just like Instagram and Twitter, you can add hashtags to help other users find your material. By incorporating tags, you are giving the community the opportunity to search keywords and find videos based on their interests; which, in this case, is hopefully you! (Red Rokk)

As with any social network, remember to be creative. It’s easy to get lost in the media blunder, but by having a unique/quirky edge, you are sure to find an interested market.

Additional Tips

If you are interested in using Vine for your business/organization, itech224 has a pretty good YouTube video that can get you started.

Go More In-Depth…

We never want you to feel limited to only what we’ve posted. Here are a list of other articles you can check out:

Next Week

We’ll look into Pinterest. For this week, what do you think about Vine? Have you used it or seen it in use?

Instagram and YOU

Credit to Idea Verse: http://goo.gl/AJi1M

Credit to Idea Verse: http://goo.gl/AJi1M

Instagram, acquired recently by Facebook, is one the most popular photo apps to download for Apple and Android users – boasting more than 100 million users. It’s as easy as open, snap (or choose from photo library), and filter. The app currently offers 17 different filters to help transform your photo, everything from black and white to “kelvin”. This app is like heaven for hipsters and trendy social media lovers alike. After choosing your filter, you can post your photo to Instagram where it can be seen on the feed of other users who follow you, or by users who find you in searches using tags.

What’s also cool about Instagram is the outreach to other platforms. Once you upload the photo to Instagram, you can also upload or embedded a link to Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Flickr, or email . You can tag a location to your “photo map” and add names of venues or locations. Instagram has a social nature set up much like Facebook, where users can “like” and comment on your photos (About.com).

Instagram Filters: http://goo.gl/e87Sb

Instagram Filters: http://goo.gl/e87Sb

How to Rock Instagram

Instagram is a more niche platform than we’ve talked about before, but that doesn’t mean you should shy away. It is owned by Facebook, after all. People love seeing what’s going on with your business, and Instagram is a great way to stand out from the sea of photos out there.

You have to be smart and sneaky in order to catch the eyeballs and interests of social media users. They are no longer just a bunch of curios people trying to find their way… The best promotion is the promotion that doesn’t look like promotion. ~Bit Rebels

Using Instagram allows you to showcase your brand, target specific customers with tags, and interact visually and text based with customers. You will be able to show users the qualities your company possesses. Many users probably haven’t even heard of your brand. So try these tips (and add a little creativity) to boost your business’ exposure and create a following.

Instagram Tips:

  1. Engage your customers
    Feature customers using your products- appeal to their vanity. Ask them questions, respond to their comments, let them know they are valued.

  2. Snap behind the scenes
    People like to feel intimate with your business or your brand. Show how a product is made, what the raw materials look like, and what can be done with the finished product.

  3. Hold contests to generate engagement
    Photos attract users, but conversations engage them. Provide a close up and ask them what they think the product is. Another way to engage them is a photo submission contest – have the users submit a picture on Instram of them using the product. You’ll be surprised how creative some people can be…

  4. Showcase Employees
    Social Media Today suggests you should give your customers an idea of who they’re working with. By putting a face to your brand, you’re giving them someone to trust.

  5. USE TAGS!!
    As with many other social outlets, tags are the number one way to attract users to your product/brand, to help them find it, and to help promote you. Instagram tags are similar to Twitter – the hashtag (#). Use creative and descriptive tags so people can search for you, just like you would with a website and Google.

Additional Tips

This video does a pretty good job covering all the bases of how to use Instragram best for your business. Check it out.

Go More In-Depth…

We never want you to feel limited to only what we’ve posted. Here are a list of other articles you can check out:

Next Week

We’ll look into Twitter’s new app Vine. For this week, what are your thoughts on Instagram? Do you like it or not? Will Facebook’s ownership of Instagram affect its future positively or negatively?

YouTube and YOU

iTunesArtwork@2xSo many people, musicians, actors, and businesses have thrived because of the viral potential YouTube has. One big reason is because YouTube is the 2nd largest search engine, behind Google. Another reason is that seeing is believing – we love seeing things, not being told about them. But what if you’re not a video guru? Luckily, with today’s technology and tech-savvy youngsters, it’s not too difficult to find freelance help at a reasonable price.

This post isn’t about how to produce videos, but it’s about how to use YouTube for PR and advertising for your business. So if you’re at the stage where you’re ready to use YouTube, here are some tips to help get the best results.

If you’re not sure whether or not YouTube is for you, check out Reel SEO’s statistics and Pros and Cons of YouTube – it might help you make an informed decision.

YouTube Tips

  1. Create a Branded Channel
    Just like you brand your name in other platforms, having a channel that is cohesive will help brand your business. A customized channel gives you the opportunity to showcase your company’s branding with specific colors, information, and links to your other media platforms. Viewers can also subscribe to your channel. It’s a feature of YouTube Social Media Today points out is often overlooked, but it shouldn’t be:

    Your YouTube channel is basically your house for the videos you create and upload, the videos you have selected as favorites, and those that you have organized into a playlist. A customized channel gives you the opportunity to add and showcase your company’s branding with specific colors, information and links to your website and/or relevant social media pages. A channel also gives viewers an option to subscribe to your content with the click of a button.

    Additionally, choose a user name that reflects your brand for your channel URL.

  2. Humanize Your Business
    It’s something that’s little, but don’t be afraid to introduce staff members to add authenticity. Show results of someone using your product/service. Show your business in action! Hold contests, answer questions, have vlogs.

  3. Have a Purpose to your Video
    Capture3
    Just like every other advertising and medium out there, content is king for YouTube. Make sure your videos are created to engage and draw viewers in. Business Reader has a couple central ideas you can focus your videos around.

    • Advertise
    • How-To’s
    • Product Demo
    • Entertain/Connect with Audience

    As long as you remember to keep each video on one idea and don’t drag on beyond that, you’re headed in a pretty good direction. No one like a long, aimless video.

  4. Make your Videos Findable
    There is so much content out there in the Internet world. There is a heck of a lot to compete with. So how do you stand out in an ocean of similar fish? Optimize how you are found.Social Media Today has three ways to make yourself findable.

    • Title: Make the first few words of the title the good ones. Make sure they’re the key words related to your video. A little trick – add a colon and rephrase your title for max effect.

    • Description: Start the description with a URL since that will never be cut off. Then, describe away.

    • Tags: Include any and all related keywords. Even think of all the weird obscure words other people may think of. Our brains all operate a little differently with the semantics of language

  5. Advertise
    There are numerous ways to straight up advertise on YouTube, but this obviously costs money. If this seems like something your business wants to do, consider some options:

    • YouTube Homepage: a large spot at the top YouTube’s homepage for interactive advertising (…this method might break the bank)

    • TrueView: the ad, normally 30-60 seconds, lets the user skip the ad after 5 second. The advertiser only has to pay if the entire ad is watched.

    • TrueView In-Search: (formerly promoted ads) a smart way to advertise before a video with keywords related to your ad.

    • In-Search Video Ads: just like a Google search, your video will appear at the top based on the keywords in the search

    • Display Ads: text ads that show up on the sidebar or at the bottom of the video.

  6. Don’t Exist in a Bubble
    All other new media platforms have the expectations to react and respond promptly to current events. That’s what Twitter is all about! There’s been a good handful of times I learned about a big event via Twitter before hearing it on the news. YouTube should be treated the same. Acknowledge what is happening in the world, and if a crisis occurs within your business, address it. It humanizes your business, and it adds a nice personal touch.

Go More In-Depth…

We never want you to feel limited to only what we’ve posted. Here are a list of other articles you can check out:

Next Week

We’ll look into Instagram next week. If you have any opinions or questions about YouTube and advertising, feel free to comment.

Facebook and YOU

Facebook started as a social network for facebook_logocollege students in 2004 , but it has evolved into so much more. Games, fan pages, public and private groups, and now…businesses. Since the startup cost of launching a page for your business with Facebook is $0, the network has become a huge tool in PR and Advertising for small businesses. There is a lot you can do with your business on Facebook, but there are a few things you don’t want to ignore.

Facebook Tips

  1. Make Graph Search Your Friend
    A relatively new addition to Facebook, the Graph Search acts a lot like SEO (Search Engine Optimization), except it’s a little cooler. According to Ad Age, the results show up in a user’s search are based on their friends’ likes. CaptureCertainly changes your thought about “likes” and “check-ins,” doesn’t it? Graph Search is taking “word of mouth” to the nth power, and Nielsen’s Q3 survey in 2011 showed that a whopping 92% of people trust their friends for recommendations. Generate genuine “likes” (don’t just buy them), and you’ll see the self-perpetuating benefits of using Graph Search.

  2. “Content is King, but Engagement is Queen”
    Ramon Ray is the man of technology and business. We recommend reading his book “The Facebook Guide to Small Business Marketing,” which actually came out only a couple days ago. We’ll let Forbes’ excerpt about his book do the talking:

    “Content is King, he says, but Engagement is Queen – simply having a Facebook business page is of little more use than a static internet calling card. Businesses should use contests, polls and questions to keep their customers and prospects engaged. Killer photo images of products are highly essential. Video can be vital as well. Visual social media and compelling content – not just information about the product and service – is key.”

  3. Consider Offers
    Offers can help fuel sales and traffic to your website or store. The best way to describe an Offer is…a coupon. Whether it’s a discount, a freebie, or to enter in a drawing, fans can use the Offer to redeem in your store and/or on your website. Aria is one success story that used Offer to make 671 reservations for 1,585 nights. Be careful with Offers though, the larger audience you want to reach, the more you have to pay. Define your audience specifically and powerfully.

  4. Be Aware of your Public Personal Life
    This one is pretty straightforward, but it’s easy to grow complacent about. In fact, we might have even overlooked this point if a CBS News article hadn’t brought it up. Consumers want businesses to be transparent, but that doesn’t mean we should embarrass ourselves. Be conscientious of pictures you’re in and what you say on your personal Facebook.

  5. Manage your Time
    This is another tip that’s so simple but so overlooked. How you allocate your time is crucial. We’ve all had those times where we go to Facebook just to check notifications, and two hours later we’re elbows deep in someone else’s profile. The same can go for running a business. Try not to let running a Facebook page prevent you from actually running your business. Have a schedule; set a time limit; do what you need so that your work is efficient.

Getting Started

If you haven’t created a page for your business and you want to, go to Facebook’s Business page, and they’ll take you through it step-by-step.

Go More In-Depth…

We never want you to feel limited to only what we’ve posted. Here are a list of other articles you can check out:

Next Week

We’ll look into Google+ next week. If you have any opinions or questions about Facebook and advertising, feel free to comment.

Twitter and YOU

For the next couple weeks, we’re going to talk about how businesses can effectively use various new/social media for public relations and advertising. Mastering new media perfectly is like being able to answer the secrets of the universe – it’s just not possible. When the consumer is involved in the message, the company doesn’t have total control over every little thing. However, there are trends and habits that are good to follow and can help guide successful advertising in the new media world.
image

So let’s start with Twitter.

One of the best methods of promotion is word-of-mouth. People trust what other people say about your organization. Funny that they are hesitant to trust you…

As Lessons from TV says, “when you talk to one person, you’re talking to a thousand.” The networking power of Twitter is great, so harness its strength. There are a lot of tips available for good tweeting, but we want to highlight the big ones.

Tweeting Tips

  1. Hashtag the right way
    The hashtag (#) is a fundamental feature of Twitter, so use it! They’re used for tagging, joining a conversation, and oftentimes humor. But don’t be reckless. Hashtags can go oh-so wrong if you don’t think about what you’re doing. McDonalds started the hashtag #McDStories, but that just led to the sharing of horrible nasty customer experiences.

    image

    Oops.

    Don’t overdo hashtags too. Overkill will lose attention. Yeah, your post will be more searchable, but if there’s no real content in the tweet, no one will want to read it. Also, make them easy to remember – whether it’s catchy, short, or simple.

    A good tactic to utilize is hopping on board with already known hashtags. #firstworldproblems, #NDSUproblems, and #ftw are popular ones around here. They may be different where you are, but use those! During the blackout at the Super Bowl, the smart advertisers used #blackout to join consumers’ conversations. Management Today has a more in-depth article on hashtagging as well.

  2. Target your market
    Just like any other marketing campaign, a business has to focus their efforts toward their target audience. Talk in a way that resonates with them. Tweet about stuff they care about – no point in tweeting pointless information to the universe. Audi talks about how they target consumers on Twitter.

  3. Build a relationship
    Twitter encourages dialogue, so a good relationship is a two-way street. @reply to followers and pay attention to what people are saying about you on Twitter. It shows that you’re listening, and if you listen…they’ll be more likely to listen. A relationship with your audience is a lot like a relationship with a friend – be honest and transparent, and remember that trust takes a long time to build but can be destroyed in an instant.

  4. Do more than inform
    We don’t talk to our friends, co-workers, and family like information-spewing robots. We joke, we motivate, we share stories. Twitter is useful for informing followers, but strive to educate, entertain, and inspire too. Make the audience feel like they’re in a conversation and not broadcasted to.

  5. Use links and multi-media
    We love clicking on anything linkable, there’s just something about those blue little words. Give followers something enticing in the tweet so they want to follow the link. Twitter also has great picture and video sharing features that makes for better tweets.

    Jeff Bullas gives a couple more tips that are good to read.

The main key to follow in Twitter is a lot like all other new media – be genuine. Consumers can tell when you’re just trying to burn a hole in their wallet. Build a relationship, be conversational, be relational, and be transparent.

Go More In-Depth…

We never want you to feel limited to only what we’ve posted. Here are a list of other articles you can check out:

Next Week

We’ll look into the social networking giant, Facebook, next week. If you have any opinions or questions about Twitter and advertising, feel free to comment.

Superbowl Ad Recap

Ads and Social Media

Well, the 49ers almost made it. Ugh, so close. I could hardly sit still watching the 4th quarter. However, it’s fair to say the first half of the game was rather dull. Luckily, I was preoccupied playing “ad bingo” until things picked up.

This week is going to have a little less structure and a little more free-form talk. We just want to pull out some things we noticed this year with the Super Bowl ads. There were some funny ads, some grandeur, and others just icky (yes, Go Daddy). Also, Dodge’s “God Made a Farmer” ad had us Midwesterners all up in a nostalgic tizzy.

But what separated this year’s Super Bowl ads from the past? The emphasis on social media, the interaction between consumers and the companies, the attempt to connect – that’s what was different.

Twitter was King

According to Marketing Land, there were 52 national TV commercials during the Super Bowl. Of those 52 ads, 26 mentioned Twitter – that’s 50 percent! Facebook only got 4 mentions, and Google+ was left in the dust with none. But isn’t G+ reportedly the No. 2 social network in the world? Hm, interesting.

Let’s take a look into Twitter then, since it was the hot topic.

Hashtags

While 26 ads featured Twitter, did their hashtags actually work? Did Subway’s clunky hashtag “#15yrwinningstreak” find its way into onto our home feeds?

Super-Bowl-Hash-Tag-Infographic

^^Those are pretty good numbers for Doritos and CK, and as Sysomos mentions, the two ads that used their own name as a hashtag had better results.

If we look at those numbers on their own, thousands of tweets for Doritos looks great, but if you consider the millions of tweets in America every day, that’s actually a pretty small number. While many tweets were about the Super Bowl or the advertisements, few people actually used the designated hashtags.

That doesn’t mean people did tweet about the Super Bowl ads. Taco Bell received 215,000 tweets after their funny “Viva Young” commercial – and they didn’t use a hashtag.

So maybe the mentions of Twitter in the ads didn’t quite work, but Twitter mentioning the ads sure did.

Power Outage

Forbes had a clever line about the power outage – “Call it the Super Bowl of real-time marketing.” Usually viewers are wrapped up in the game and ads, but the power outage slowed things down. Since there were no commercials during the outage, people grew bored, pulled out their smartphones, and started chatting on social media – about the game, the ads, and who pulled the plug.

Smart advertisers knew what to do with the outage with a spike of tweeters online. Companies like Walgreens, Oreo, Tide, and Audi hit the Twittersphere and capitalized the opportunity by tweeting clever lines about their product and the outage.

The power outage was the epitome of real-time marketing.

tide-super-bowl-black-out-tweet

Oreo-dunk-dark-tweet17

Wrap Up

Maybe Twitter was more popular this Super Bowl because of its immediacy and simplicity. A consumer can tweet without talking too much attention away from the game. But why did Facebook lose so much attention? And why did Google+ receive no love for the second year in a row? Let us know what you think, and we can toss around ideas.

Go More In-Depth…

We never want you to feel limited to only what we’ve posted. Here are a list of other articles you can check out:

The World at Our Fingertips

mobiledevices

Apps, Ads, and the Mobile World

Mobile devices are clearly the reason new media has exploded in today’s society. Users can do almost everything with the swipe of their finger, no matter where they are. iPhones have countless apps available for fun, business, and everything in between. Tablets now come cell-service ready for constant Internet access. Society is going mobile, and advertisers are catching on.

We’re Not All That Different

All traditional media rely primarily on advertising to make money, whether it’s for profit or just to cover costs. Television, magazines, newspapers – they all need advertisers. Well, unless they have insanely generous donators. New media runs the same way. Websites cost money to built, host, and maintain. Apps require time to develop. They need money.

Advertisers are starting to go beyond basic Web ads and looking at mobile devices and apps. But just like every other aspect of life, there are pros and cons. If you are considering whether or not to pursue mobile advertising, then keep reading.

Pros and Cons of Mobile Ads

Pros

  • Ads don’t have as much competition
    Because mobile web pages and apps are designed to be more simple, a lot of the distracting extras are left out. Facebook advertisers have found that more people will actually click on the ads in the app because they stand out more.

  • More people are going mobile every day
    604 million. Yup, that’s a lot of Facebook users on the mobile app or mobile website. That number grows every day. While not every advertiser can afford a place on Facebook, it at least illustrates the growth. The number of app downloads is expected to grow to 32 billion. Facebook is just one example. Check out this video from Google that explains just how mobile we really are:

  • Free apps sell more
    Everyone loves Angry Birds. Well, I don’t personally, but I know a lot of people do. One reason so many people love it (beyond its normal awesomeness) is that it’s free. As a broke college student, there are few words more valuable than “FREE.” Many users are willing to put up with interrupting ads if it means having a free experience.

Cons

  • Information overload
    Too much of anything can be a bad thing. Always remember that “content is king,” and too many ads can be overbearing and unappealing. While mobile ads are so quickly on the rise, there eventually is a limit – but advertisers may not know the limit until it’s too late.

  • No cookies
    On a desktop PC, advertisers can narrowly target its audience. How? Well, the Internet uses cookies to collect information about the users. Using a fancy algorithm, advertisers can use that information to advertise to exactly who they want.
    cookiemonster

    Apple said “no no” to this. Their devices don’t allow third-party cookies, so it’s harder to pinpoint an audience. But put it into perspective. All traditional media advertising operate on “best guess” research, and it works pretty well. It’s just not pin-point accurate.

  • Lack of rich media
    Steve Jobs is just such a trendsetter, isn’t he? Well, since he gave the thumbs down to Adobe Flash Player, almost all mobile devices are phasing out support for it. While HTML5 and CSS3 are great, Flash has a few more tricks up its sleeves for design capabilities. Advertisers have to find a way to catch its audience’s eye without using Flash.

  • Multiple platforms
    Just like desktop PCs, there are a million fish in the sea. iPhone 4, iPhone 5, Andriod, iPad, Windows tablets – there are many platforms that have different resolutions and setups. It can be a pain to satisfy all platforms, so decide if you’re up to the task.

Go More In-Depth…

We never want you to feel limited to only what we’ve posted. Here are a list of other articles you can check out:

Wrap Up

Remember that the purpose of this blog is to help you understand the new media world better through the eyes of PR/Advertising. Through dialogue, we can discuss and share what’s working, what’s not, and what to expect. New media is changing our world, and each week we want to explore it.

Stay tuned for next week’s post. If there’s something that interests you or you want us to talk about, let us know.

Basics of PR and New Media

Pr 2.0

Intro to PR/Advertising 2.0

The learning curve for new technology is huge. Developers push out new products and new media every day. Talk about information overload. For anyone who wants to publicize or advertise themselves, where do you start? What avenues do you use, and to what extent? Organizations, businesses, and individuals all have to consider how new media will play a role in their promotions.

At least in this day and age.

Before we start blogging in-depth about the latest in PR/Advertising and new media, it’s a good idea to start with the basics. If you’re considering new media in your promotions, think about the following:

  • Target audience
  • The industry are you involved in
  • Budget $$
  • Manpower and technology savvy

1. Target Audience

This should drive everything and anything you do. Your audience is responsible for your success, so why focus on them?

Look at the demographics and psychographics of your audience – compare it to what’s out there for new media. For examples, if your main customers are middle-aged mothers, then LinkedIn or Facebook is probably a better option than Twitter for social networking.

To save you some time, we found the social media demographics of 2012.

If you’re looking into advertising, consider algorithm-based advertising. Some smart techy guys found a way to gather info from Internet users so advertisers can reach only those they want to reach, no matter what website the user is on. Its methods aren’t perfect, but it’s a start of precise targeting.

2. Industry

Look at what other people are doing in your industry. Are they on the new media bandwagon yet? Are they the pioneers of what’s up and coming, or is everyone resisting change? We’re not saying you have to do they’re doing, but it’s smart to see what’s up.

Five industries are experiencing a huge shift in their business model because of new media. For them, it’s either change or get left in the dust:

  • Travel
  • Video rental
  • Music
  • Newspapers
  • Bookstores

3. Budget

The main reason new media has blown up…it’s darn cheap. Many businesses and individuals have gained popularity through the Internet. Where would J-Biebs be without YouTube? And think of how apps have changed the mobile world for…well just about any business who took the time to develop one.

New media can be a great startup option for promotions on a low budget, but add a couple dollars and you can quickly have a very powerful advertising tool on your hand. Think of how many people see those ads in the free version of Words With Friends…

4. Manpower/Knowledge

Here’s the hard part. If you don’t know much about the “Interweb,” managing your new media can be difficult – timing tweets properly is important, conversational blogging can be hard to do, websites take a lot of maintenance, and building apps requires nerdy knowledge.

So just be careful to not get in over your head. Connecting to your audience through social media can be hard if you have too many irons in the fire, and using more technological methods like online ads, websites, and apps can take a lot of work. Match your manpower and new media savvy to your goals.

Next Week

Now that we’ve laid down the basic relationship between PR/Advertising and new media, we can really start getting our hands dirty. Check back next week to see what we talk about more specifically next. Comment below if you have anything to say, and follow us if you think we’re not boring (we like to think we’re pretty alright).