I gave a Bold Talk at Inbound 2016 on the topic of audience building and community. I came at it from the standpoint of the news business, where I spent the bulk of my career and I have a lot of opinions as to how it got to the place it finds itself in now.
These are a few of the quotes I heard while attending SXSW in 2010. Some show signs of lunacy, some of brilliance. All show some game changing thinking.
PR: how to use storytelling to make the jump from owned to earned mediaFINN
Smaller newsrooms and stricter positionings in the media landschape today make it harder to get media wins with "spray and pray" press releases. On the other hand, there are more opportunities than ever for organizations and brands that can add value to the specific segments that media target.
In this webinar @FINNbe explores how brands can create a "lean" PR and content marketing programme that will predictably and repeatably generate positive media coverage.
The key is to rely on quality sources and to use tried and tested storytelling techniques.
Twitterschau: Blogfamilia trifft die Berliner GrünenBlogfamilia
Wer das Bloggen als Hobby oder als Beruf betreibt, wird als Elternblogger mit dem Thema “Vereinbarkeit” konfrontiert.
In unserem Treffen mit den Berliner Grünen haben wir beraten, wie man aus Berlin eine Familienstadt machen kann.
Wir unterstützen das Einbeziehen von direkten Elternstimmen in politische Prozesse.
Social Media Etiquette (#SMEtiquette) for the rest of us. How to communicate with others online in a way designed to cause the least amount of friction and ill feelings.
Lessons from the Newsroom: What Search & Social Can Learn from JournalistsAmy Vernon
We know "everyone's a publisher now," but what does that really mean? This keynote from Search Engine Journal's SEJ Summit dissected three areas to focus on when figuring out what content to create for your audience.
These are a few of the quotes I heard while attending SXSW in 2010. Some show signs of lunacy, some of brilliance. All show some game changing thinking.
PR: how to use storytelling to make the jump from owned to earned mediaFINN
Smaller newsrooms and stricter positionings in the media landschape today make it harder to get media wins with "spray and pray" press releases. On the other hand, there are more opportunities than ever for organizations and brands that can add value to the specific segments that media target.
In this webinar @FINNbe explores how brands can create a "lean" PR and content marketing programme that will predictably and repeatably generate positive media coverage.
The key is to rely on quality sources and to use tried and tested storytelling techniques.
Twitterschau: Blogfamilia trifft die Berliner GrünenBlogfamilia
Wer das Bloggen als Hobby oder als Beruf betreibt, wird als Elternblogger mit dem Thema “Vereinbarkeit” konfrontiert.
In unserem Treffen mit den Berliner Grünen haben wir beraten, wie man aus Berlin eine Familienstadt machen kann.
Wir unterstützen das Einbeziehen von direkten Elternstimmen in politische Prozesse.
Social Media Etiquette (#SMEtiquette) for the rest of us. How to communicate with others online in a way designed to cause the least amount of friction and ill feelings.
Lessons from the Newsroom: What Search & Social Can Learn from JournalistsAmy Vernon
We know "everyone's a publisher now," but what does that really mean? This keynote from Search Engine Journal's SEJ Summit dissected three areas to focus on when figuring out what content to create for your audience.
Cultural Fuel describes the background and pulse of local and global trends and insights that influence people. In this blog, we post work, cases and insights that we believe are a testament to Cultural Fuel that can inspire Act Creation. The Cultural Fuel Trend Report is a monthly summary of the things we find.
http://culturalfuel.net/
Stories in the Social Era - Presenting to CCO Learning Day (Government of Can...Tara Hunt
On February 20, I presented this to a group of Communications Officers in various departments of the Government of Canada. The question presented to me when approached to give this talk was: "How do government services tell effective stories on social?"
My core thesis: They don't. People don't want to be told stories, they want to be involved in making them...especially in the social era.
Your Life Is A Transmedia Experience - vote for this panel at SXSWinteractive...socialcreature
The human brain is hard-wired for narrative construction. Today, “transmedia” is the latest marketing buzzword, but it’s not just how we consume entertainment narratives. With every status update, photo upload, location check-in, and “like,” it’s how we experience the narrative of our lives. We will dive into cutting-edge transmedia applications and approaches, and you’ll walk away with a unique, new perspective on how to create not just a captivating transmedia narrative, but a culture-defining experience.
Vote here: http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/ideas/view/7292
How to Create a Monster Brand from the Ground upAmy Vernon
How do you build a brand for an existing, but new company that is undergoing its first branding and changing its name at the same time? Amy Vernon explains how she branded Kaiju Capital Management from nothing into a bespoke brand that has been displayed on the iconic Nasdaq tower in Times Square.
What's new on legacy social media platformsAmy Vernon
Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest & Gmail - what's the latest changes to these platforms? I detail what the latest changes are to these old-school platforms.
Cultural Fuel describes the background and pulse of local and global trends and insights that influence people. In this blog, we post work, cases and insights that we believe are a testament to Cultural Fuel that can inspire Act Creation. The Cultural Fuel Trend Report is a monthly summary of the things we find.
http://culturalfuel.net/
Stories in the Social Era - Presenting to CCO Learning Day (Government of Can...Tara Hunt
On February 20, I presented this to a group of Communications Officers in various departments of the Government of Canada. The question presented to me when approached to give this talk was: "How do government services tell effective stories on social?"
My core thesis: They don't. People don't want to be told stories, they want to be involved in making them...especially in the social era.
Your Life Is A Transmedia Experience - vote for this panel at SXSWinteractive...socialcreature
The human brain is hard-wired for narrative construction. Today, “transmedia” is the latest marketing buzzword, but it’s not just how we consume entertainment narratives. With every status update, photo upload, location check-in, and “like,” it’s how we experience the narrative of our lives. We will dive into cutting-edge transmedia applications and approaches, and you’ll walk away with a unique, new perspective on how to create not just a captivating transmedia narrative, but a culture-defining experience.
Vote here: http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/ideas/view/7292
How to Create a Monster Brand from the Ground upAmy Vernon
How do you build a brand for an existing, but new company that is undergoing its first branding and changing its name at the same time? Amy Vernon explains how she branded Kaiju Capital Management from nothing into a bespoke brand that has been displayed on the iconic Nasdaq tower in Times Square.
What's new on legacy social media platformsAmy Vernon
Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest & Gmail - what's the latest changes to these platforms? I detail what the latest changes are to these old-school platforms.
Community around blockchain and crypto is fractured. While many people are investing simply to make a quick buck, others are excited about the technology solutions cropping up. So how do you go about building community in this space? I talked about it at the World Crypto Economic Forum in San Francisco in January 2018.
That's the Wrong Question: An Introduction to Social Media AnalyticsAmy Vernon
Too often in trying to quantify our social media efforts, we get tripped up by asking the wrong questions. Here's a guide to the questions you *should* be asking and how you can begin to make sense of your social media analytics.
I'm always updating my popular deck on creating content that works for social media. There are a lot of things to take into consideration in your content marketing efforts. These tips will give you a leg up.
We're at the point where we can't have it both ways anymore. We can't complain about giving up our privacy at the same time that we're loving the technology that comes about as a result of the information we're sharing about ourselves.
The question remains whether we end up in the dystopian 1984/Minority Report world or a more hopeful United Federation of Planets/classic Star Trek future.
My presentation for IgniteNYC #ignitenyc16
Think You Know Great Content? Fugghedaboutit. Here's What Really CountsAmy Vernon
Content is king, blah blah blah. Fact is, there's no magic formula for good content, but there are some basic things you can do to make your content more attractive to both readers/consumers and search engines.
Having more fans and followers has become a metric by which businesses are often measured in the social space. However, if we look at how conversations happen on social media, it has become primarily a means for broadcasting. In this session for Marketing Profs' Digital Marketing World April virtual conference on Social Media Marketing, I discussed the concept of narrowcasting and how to mine your followers for the people and conversations you're really trying to reach.
Social media can be a terrific help when you're looking for a job. It can also hurt. In this presentation for The Briefcase Project for F.E.G.S. in New York City, I outlined the pitfalls
Automating certain aspects of social media can be helpful. But sometimes it can go extremely wrong. I presented on the negative aspects of social media automation at the SMX West Conference in San Jose yesterday.
What’s the secret to creating content that spreads like wildfire? There are no guarantees when it comes to going viral in social media, but there are certain types of content that do better than others. This presentation was adapted from previous presentations of Amy Vernon's on the topic, for the first of a three-part webinar series with Bill Belew and Phill Hollows.
Our Secret Arsenal: StumbleUpon, Reddit and DiggAmy Vernon
Everyone talks about Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and Pinterest. But Digg, Reddit and StumbleUpon have been around for longer than all but Facebook and have driven gazillions of page views to blogs, videos and images around the web. Here's why you shouldn't forget these networks and how to be a good citizen.
When it comes to the medical profession, social media is a bit trickier than in some other fields, because of the legal and ethical issues involved. But it still comes down to one thing: Don't be stupid.
This is the presentation from a panel I participated in at the 53rd annual meeting of ASTRO, the American Society for Radiation Oncology.
5 big bets to drive growth in 2024 without one additional marketing dollar AND how to adapt to the biggest shifting eCommerce trend- AI.
1) Romance Your Customers - Retention
2) ‘Alternative’ Lead Gen - Advocacy
3) The Beautiful Basics - Conversion Rate Optimization
4) Land that Bottom Line - Profitability
5) Roll the Dice - New Business Models
Videos are more engaging, more memorable, and more popular than any other type of content out there. That’s why it’s estimated that 82% of consumer traffic will come from videos by 2025.
And with videos evolving from landscape to portrait and experts promoting shorter clips, one thing remains constant – our brains LOVE videos.
So is there science behind what makes people absolutely irresistible on camera?
The answer: definitely yes.
In this jam-packed session with Stephanie Garcia, you’ll get your hands on a steal-worthy guide that uncovers the art and science to being irresistible on camera. From body language to words that convert, she’ll show you how to captivate on command so that viewers are excited and ready to take action.
In this presentation, Danny Leibrandt explains the impact of AI on SEO and what Google has been doing about it. Learn how to take your SEO game to the next level and win over Google with his new strategy anyone can use. Get actionable steps to rank your name, your business, and your clients on Google - the right way.
Key Takeaways:
1. Real content is king
2. Find ways to show EEAT
3. Repurpose across all platforms
When most people in the industry talk about online or digital reputation management, what they're really saying is Google search and PPC. And it's usually reactive, left dealing with the aftermath of negative information published somewhere online. That's outdated. It leaves executives, organizations and other high-profile individuals at a high risk of a digital reputation attack that spans channels and tactics. But the tools needed to safeguard against an attack are more cybersecurity-oriented than most marketing and communications professionals can manage. Business leaders Leaders grasp the importance; 83% of executives place reputation in their top five areas of risk, yet only 23% are confident in their ability to address it. To succeed in 2024 and beyond, you need to turn online reputation on its axis and think like an attacker.\
Key Takeaways:
- New framework for examining and safeguarding an online reputation
- Tools and techniques to keep you a step ahead
- Practical examples that demonstrate when to act, how to act and how to recover
Digital Commerce Lecture for Advanced Digital & Social Media Strategy at UCLA...Valters Lauzums
E-commerce in 2024 is characterized by a dynamic blend of opportunities and significant challenges. Supply chain disruptions and inventory shortages are critical issues, leading to increased shipping delays and rising costs, which impact timely delivery and squeeze profit margins. Efficient logistics management is essential, yet it is often hampered by these external factors. Payment processing, while needing to ensure security and user convenience, grapples with preventing fraud and integrating diverse payment methods, adding another layer of complexity. Furthermore, fulfillment operations require a streamlined approach to handle volume spikes and maintain accuracy in order picking, packing, and shipping, all while meeting customers' heightened expectations for faster delivery times.
Amid these operational challenges, customer data has emerged as an important strategy. By focusing on personalization and enhancing customer experience from historical behavior, businesses can deliver improved website and brand experienced, better product recommendations, optimal promotions, and content to meet individual preferences. Better data analytics can also help in effectively creating marketing campaigns, improving customer retention, and driving product development and inventory management.
Innovative formats such as social commerce and live shopping are beginning to impact the digital commerce landscape, offering new ways to engage with customers and drive sales, and may provide opportunity for brands that have been priced out or seen a downturn with post-pandemic shopping behavior. Social commerce integrates shopping experiences directly into social media platforms, tapping into the massive user bases of these networks to increase reach and engagement. Live shopping, on the other hand, combines entertainment and real-time interaction, providing a dynamic platform for showcasing products and encouraging immediate purchases. These innovations not only enhance customer engagement but also provide valuable data for businesses to refine their strategies and deliver superior shopping experiences.
The e-commerce sector is evolving rapidly, and businesses that effectively manage operational challenges and implement innovative strategies are best positioned for long-term success.
Mastering Local SEO for Service Businesses in the AI Era is tailored specifically for local service providers like plumbers, dentists, and others seeking to dominate their local search landscape. This session delves into leveraging AI advancements to enhance your online visibility and search rankings through the Content Factory model, designed for creating high-impact, SEO-driven content. Discover the Dollar-a-Day advertising strategy, a cost-effective approach to boost your local SEO efforts and attract more customers with minimal investment. Gain practical insights on optimizing your online presence to meet the specific needs of local service seekers, ensuring your business not only appears but stands out in local searches. This concise, action-oriented workshop is your roadmap to navigating the complexities of digital marketing in the AI age, driving more leads, conversions, and ultimately, success for your local service business.
Key Takeaways:
Embrace AI for Local SEO: Learn to harness the power of AI technologies to optimize your website and content for local search. Understand the pivotal role AI plays in analyzing search trends and consumer behavior, enabling you to tailor your SEO strategies to meet the specific demands of your target local audience. Leverage the Content Factory Model: Discover the step-by-step process of creating SEO-optimized content at scale. This approach ensures a steady stream of high-quality content that engages local customers and boosts your search rankings. Get an action guide on implementing this model, complete with templates and scheduling strategies to maintain a consistent online presence. Maximize ROI with Dollar-a-Day Advertising: Dive into the cost-effective Dollar-a-Day advertising strategy that amplifies your visibility in local searches without breaking the bank. Learn how to strategically allocate your budget across platforms to target potential local customers effectively. The session includes an action guide on setting up, monitoring, and optimizing your ad campaigns to ensure maximum impact with minimal investment.
SEO as the Backbone of Digital MarketingFelipe Bazon
In this talk Felipe Bazon will share how him and his team at Hedgehog Digital share our journey of making C-Levels alike, specially CMOS realize that SEO is the backbone of digital marketing by showing how SEO can contribute to brand awareness, reputation and authority and above all how to use SEO to create more robust global marketing strategies.
Financial curveballs sent many American families reeling in 2023. Household budgets were squeezed by rising interest rates, surging prices on everyday goods, and a stagnating housing market. Consumers were feeling strapped. That sentiment, however, appears to be waning. The question is, to what extent?
To take the pulse of consumers’ feelings about their financial well-being ahead of a highly anticipated election, ThinkNow conducted a nationally representative quantitative survey. The survey highlights consumers’ hopes and anxieties as we move into 2024. Let's unpack the key findings to gain insights about where we stand.
Top 3 Ways to Align Sales and Marketing Teams for Rapid GrowthDemandbase
In this session, Demandbase’s Stephanie Quinn, Sr. Director of Integrated and Digital Marketing, Devin Rosenberg, Director of Sales, and Kevin Rooney, Senior Director of Sales Development will share how sales and marketing shapes their day-to-day and what key areas are needed for true alignment.
Short video marketing has sweeped the nation and is the fastest way to build an online brand on social media in 2024. In this session you will learn:- What is short video marketing- Which platforms work best for your business- Content strategies that are on brand for your business- How to sell organically without paying for ads.
A.I. (artificial intelligence) platforms are popping up all the time, and many of them can and should be used to help grow your brand, increase your sales and decrease your marketing costs.In this presentation:We will review some of the best AI platforms that are available for you to use.We will interact with some of the platforms in real-time, so attendees can see how they work.We will also look at some current brands that are using AI to help them create marketing messages, saving them time and money in the process. Lastly, we will discuss the pros and cons of using AI in marketing & branding and have a lively conversation that includes comments from the audience.
Key Takeaways:
Attendees will learn about LLM platforms, like ChatGPT, and how they work, with preset examples and real time interactions with the platform. Attendees will learn about other AI platforms that are creating graphic design elements at the push of a button...pre-set examples and real-time interactions.Attendees will discuss the pros & cons of AI in marketing + branding and share their perspectives with one another. Attendees will learn about the cost savings and the time savings associated with using AI, should they choose to.
Digital Money Maker Club – von Gunnar Kessler digital.focsh890
Title One is a comprehensive examination of the impact of digital technologies on
modern society. In a world where technology continues to advance rapidly, this article delves into the nuances and complexities of the digital age, exploring Its implications across various sectors and aspects of life.
The digital marketing industry is changing faster than ever and those who don’t adapt with the times are losing market share. Where should marketers be focusing their efforts? What strategies are the experts seeing get the best results? Get up-to-speed with the latest industry insights, trends and predictions for the future in this panel discussion with some leading digital marketing experts.
The digital marketing industry is changing faster than ever and those who don’t adapt with the times are losing market share. Where should marketers be focusing their efforts? What strategies are the experts seeing get the best results? Get up-to-speed with the latest industry insights, trends and predictions for the future in this panel discussion with some leading digital marketing experts.
2. #INBOUND16
• 20 years in newspaper
journalism
• Miami Herald staff
Pulitzer, 1992
• Top female submitter of
all time to Digg.com
• 15th most influential
woman in tech on Twitter
(Business Insider/Peer
Index)
• Mommy, wife & Siberian
Husky owner
Photo courtesy of Social Media Week
4. #INBOUND16
A little history, first. I mean, we spent thousands of years building our audiences, right?
A LITTLE HISTORY
5. #INBOUND16
The Roman Acta Diurna dates to 59 BC when news of the day would be
inscribed on stone or metal and hung outside government offices
Photo by Dawn Danby via Flickr Creative Commons
6. #INBOUND16
The government got the people to come to them for the news.
Right there, right outside their offices.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Senate
7. #INBOUND16
The birth of the printing press helped the church
way spread their word further, so long as you could
read Latin of course.
Photo by Andy via Flickr Creative Commons
9. #INBOUND16
Luther, who took his 99 theses and nailed them to the
doors of churches and translated Bibles into German, to
heck with what the Pope said.
Photo by Holly Hayes via Flickr Creative Commons
10. #INBOUND16
FAST-FORWARD A FEW YEARS
OK, let’s fast-forward a bit. I could give a whole history lesson, but that’s not what we’re
here for.
11. #INBOUND16
When newspapers started, they were very
conversational and had tons of little items with
all the news of their communities and the world
at large.
https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth
138466/m1/1/
12. #INBOUND16
A side note: This is my favorite story from this front
page of the El Paso Herald from Oct. 26, 1916.
https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth138466/
m1/1/
13. #INBOUND16
As magazines, radio, television and cable news ate into their audiences,
newspapers could have doubled down and become more vital to their
communities.
“To look at the paper is to raise
a seashell to one's ear and to
be overwhelmed by the roar of
humanity.”
― Alain de Botton, The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work
14. #INBOUND16
Instead, they became “objective” and
distant. They regionalized their
coverage and consolidated their
companies.
http://knowyourmeme.com/photos/91
3985-morning-news
16. #INBOUND16
But you had to be incredibly motivated to write a letter, and your
response might not publish until long after the article that spurred
it.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/st00ka/8080449439/
17. #INBOUND16
Enter the World Wide Web. Newspapers created forums for their
readers, and added comments to stories. Instant feedback!
Oh, and by the way? That coffee smoke was animated. Very
Geocities. (Friday, Dec. 20, 1996, via Internet Archive)
18. #INBOUND16
Thing is, journalists had become so distant from the
communities they served (sure, not all), they didn’t
really want that feedback.
19. #INBOUND16
They refused to moderate comments and forums,
and the loudmouths reigned. More thoughtful
readers stayed away.
https://xkcd.com/386/
20. #INBOUND16
They didn’t want to be called names or
worse, just for expressing an opinion. And
they weren’t going to get any backup from
the news folks.
http://www.livememe.com/qdz7bkx
22. #INBOUND16
People started having conversations
about news on these platforms. The
conversations were informative and
pleasant. (Yes, that has changed, too.)
http://www.quickmeme.com/meme/3q5
tsy
23. #INBOUND16
And now where are we? Circulation is declining. Advertising
revenues are plummeting. And few people are willing to pay for their
news.
http://www.radioinsights.com/newspaper/
24. #INBOUND16
Because for all this time, you’ve abandoned your audience.
You’ve ignored them, not wanted to talk to them, gotten
offended by criticism.
25. #INBOUND16
You’ve told them not to bother spending time with you. No
place for comments, sites that are difficult to navigate,
pop-up ads that auto-play sound.
http://www.memecenter.com/fun/176599/pop-up-ads
26. #INBOUND16
Oh, they’ll come when they see
something that interests them – on
FB, Twitter or elsewhere.
https://memecrunch.com/meme/1359
4/see-ya
27. #INBOUND16
You’ve done it to yourself.
You’ve told them you don’t care about
them.
How can you ask why they turn to others,
then?
https://www.flickr.com/photos/wadem/2730
257498/
28. #INBOUND16
This hubris is not unique to the
news media. A pioneer in social
media, Digg had a huge and
thriving on-site community.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/kar
ol-krakowiak/2369803102/
29. #INBOUND16
The powers that be grew to distrust their
own community and took away the ability
to talk to one another on-site.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/
2009/05/digg-shout-share.html
30. #INBOUND16
Hardcore users took to Twitter. Then
discovered they preferred Twitter to Digg.
And stayed there. And Digg made more
changes to take the site away from the
community; it slowly declined and then
died.
http://socialblade.com/show/2010/08/31/an
-old-digg-user-returns-after-being-gone-for-
a-week-comic/
32. #INBOUND16
Buzzfeed, for example, from the beginning
invited engagement on its site. And on
Facebook, and on Twitter. And anywhere.
https://www.buzzfeed.com/erinchack/pure-
tweets?utm_term=.aupbmpVOb#.qhP4OQ
5A4
33. #INBOUND16
Sure, when your bread and butter is funny
cat and dog pictures, it’s a little easier to
engage with random people.
https://www.buzzfeed.com/alexnaidus/cozy
-cats-
yall?utm_term=.ueQE6MA7E#.gfxb4wp3b
34. #INBOUND16
But they’ve used all these platforms to
build their audience. An audience they can
monetize anywhere.
http://www.relatably.com/m/get-money-
memes
35. #INBOUND16
Now, most publishers – the so-called
“legacy” as well as newfangled digital-only
– freak out every time Facebook changes
its algorithm.
https://theamericangenius.com/social-
media/facebook-makes-yet-another-
change-to-their-algorithm/
36. #INBOUND16
That’s because half the time, their
audience doesn’t even think about what
site they’re visiting. They saw the story on
Facebook, on Twitter.
http://pandawhale.com/post/58915/walking
-dead-season-5-episode-11-s5e11-the-
distance-gifs-and-memes
37. #INBOUND16
They talk about the stories on social
media. Sometimes they’re even reading
the stories, whole, on social media.
http://www.blowoutcards.com/forums/mem
ber-sales-trade-feedback/877352-so-i-told-
people-have-been-being-warned-about-
me-3.html
39. #INBOUND16
It’s been heartening to see some
publishers begin to embrace on-site
comments again.
The Coral Project, Civil Comments,
Spot.im and others are working to help
make comment sections civil
https://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/showth
read.php?p=1268931
40. #INBOUND16
– and therefore a place people would
actually want to spend time.
https://imgflip.com/i/107axl
42. #INBOUND16
The thing is, we’ve pushed everyone to
these platforms, and found ourselves at the
mercy of them.
http://ru.memegenerator.net/instance/5482
2257
43. #INBOUND16
What we need to do – NEED – is to use
these platforms (OK, except Vine).
http://wellonscommunications.com/services
/socialmedia/
44. #INBOUND16
Use them to build community. Use them to
engage with our people.
Use them to remind our audience of how
important they are to us – and we are to
them.
https://memegenerator.net/instance/26056
706
45. #INBOUND16
At the end of the day, we need to bring it
home.
http://www.usableinterface.com/articles/is-
your-homepage-doing-what-it-should/
Own Your Audience: Don’t Give It AwayOr: How I learned to stop worrying and love my readers.
But their reluctance to allow translations led to
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jezza101/6227242173/
But their reluctance to allow translations led to
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jezza101/6227242173/
A little history, first. I mean, we spent thousands of years building our audiences, right?
The Roman Acta Diurna dates to 59 BC when news of the day would be inscribed on stone or metal and hung outside government offices
The government got the people to come to them for the news. Right there, right outside their offices.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Senate
The birth of the printing press helped the church way spread their word further, so long as you could read Latin of course.
But their reluctance to allow translations led to
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jezza101/6227242173/
Luther, who took his 99 theses and nailed them to the doors of churches and translated Bibles into German, to heck with what the Pope said.
OK, let’s fast-forward a bit. I could give a whole history lesson, but that’s not what we’re here for.
When newspapers started, they were very conversational and had tons of little items with all the news of their communities and the world at large.
A side note: This is my favorite story from this front page of the El Paso Herald from Oct. 26, 1916.
As magazines, radio, television and cable news ate into their audiences, newspapers could have doubled down and become more vital to their communities.
Instead, they became “objective” and distant. They regionalized their coverage and consolidated their companies.
http://knowyourmeme.com/photos/913985-morning-news
The community still had a voice, sure, in the Letters to the Editor.
http://memeguy.com/photo/20306/perks-of-a-small-town-newspaper
But you had to be incredibly motivated to write a letter, and your response might not publish until long after the article that spurred it.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/st00ka/8080449439/
Enter the World Wide Web. Newspapers created forums for their readers, and added comments to stories. Instant feedback!
Oh, and by the way? That coffee smoke was animated. Very Geocities. (Friday, Dec. 20, 1996)
Thing is, journalists had become so distant from the communities they served (sure, not all), they didn’t really want that feedback.
They refused to moderate comments and forums, and the loudmouths reigned. More thoughtful readers stayed away.
https://xkcd.com/386/
They didn’t want to be called names or worse, just for expressing an opinion. And they weren’t going to get any backup from the news folks.
http://www.livememe.com/qdz7bkx
At the same time that comments were becoming a cesspool on news sites, Facebook and Twitter were growing.
People started having conversations about news on these platforms. The conversations were informative and pleasant. (Yes, that has changed, too.)
http://www.quickmeme.com/meme/3q5tsy
And now where are we? Circulation is declining. Advertising revenues are plummeting. And few people are willing to pay for their news.
http://www.radioinsights.com/newspaper/
Because for all this time, you’ve abandoned your audience. You’ve ignored them, not wanted to talk to them, gotten offended by criticism.
You’ve told them not to bother spending time with you. No place for comments, sites that are difficult to navigate, pop-up ads that auto-play sound.
http://www.memecenter.com/fun/176599/pop-up-ads
Oh, they’ll come when they see something that interests them – on FB, Twitter or elsewhere.
https://memecrunch.com/meme/13594/see-ya
You’ve done it to yourself.
You’ve told them you don’t care about them.
How can you ask why they turn to others, then?
https://www.flickr.com/photos/wadem/2730257498/
This hubris is not unique to the news media. A pioneer in social media, Digg had a huge and thriving on-site community.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/karol-krakowiak/2369803102/
The powers that be grew to distrust their own community and took away the ability to talk to one another on-site.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2009/05/digg-shout-share.html
Hardcore users took to Twitter. Then discovered they preferred Twitter to Digg. And stayed there. And Digg made more changes to take the site away from the community; it slowly declined and then died.
http://socialblade.com/show/2010/08/31/an-old-digg-user-returns-after-being-gone-for-a-week-comic/
Not everyone has suffered from this syndrome.
Yes, Buzzfeed.
Buzzfeed, for example, from the beginning invited engagement on its site. And on Facebook, and on Twitter. And anywhere.
https://www.buzzfeed.com/erinchack/pure-tweets?utm_term=.aupbmpVOb#.qhP4OQ5A4
Sure, when your bread and butter is funny cat and dog pictures, it’s a little easier to engage with random people.
https://www.buzzfeed.com/alexnaidus/cozy-cats-yall?utm_term=.ueQE6MA7E#.gfxb4wp3b
But they’ve used all these platforms to build their audience. An audience they can monetize anywhere.
http://www.relatably.com/m/get-money-memes
Now, most publishers – the so-called “legacy” as well as newfangled digital-only – freak out every time Facebook changes its algorithm.
https://theamericangenius.com/social-media/facebook-makes-yet-another-change-to-their-algorithm/
That’s because half the time, their audience doesn’t even think about what site they’re visiting. They saw the story on Facebook, on Twitter.
http://pandawhale.com/post/58915/walking-dead-season-5-episode-11-s5e11-the-distance-gifs-and-memes
They talk about the stories on social media. Sometimes they’re even reading the stories, whole, on social media.
http://www.blowoutcards.com/forums/member-sales-trade-feedback/877352-so-i-told-people-have-been-being-warned-about-me-3.html
It’s been heartening to see some publishers begin to embrace on-site comments again.
The Coral Project, Civil Comments, Spot.im and others are working to help make comment sections civil
https://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1268931
– and therefore a place people would actually want to spend time.
https://imgflip.com/i/107axl
But this lesson should not be lost on anyone: Building community matters.
The thing is, we’ve pushed everyone to these platforms, and found ourselves at the mercy of them.
http://ru.memegenerator.net/instance/54822257
What we need to do – NEED – is to use these platforms (OK, except Vine).
http://wellonscommunications.com/services/socialmedia/
Use them to build community. Use them to engage with our people.
Use them to remind our audience of how important they are to us – and we are to them.
https://memegenerator.net/instance/26056706
At the end of the day, we need to bring it home.
http://www.usableinterface.com/articles/is-your-homepage-doing-what-it-should/
Own your audience.
Don’t push them away.
http://conduit1.com/bye-felicia-memes/