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Marketers Need to Reach Consumers Through New Media

The New York Times published an article today on media convergence providing a strong argument for companies that are not actively listening to online consumer discussions to get started today. It’s already late. Traditional media is falling far behind the wave of innovation in digital media that is driving the growth of consumer created content from blogs to podcasts to videos and online TV programs. Millions of consumers are forgoing traditional media to create and exchange digital content directly with each other – without advertising support. Over 50 million people have created personal pages on MySpace.com over the last two years sharing their likes, dislikes and desires. They are directly influencing their friends’ perception about what to buy, or what not to buy, leaving many advertisers almost completely out of the influence cycle.

"There is this primordial soup brewing of more bandwidth, more storage, more devices and more people creating content which is inherently digital," said Ted Leonsis, the vice chairman of America Online. "The lightning that struck is that the people have rapidly adopted all this even faster than we in the industry conceived, and bypassed the traditional media."

As Gadgets Get It Together, Media Makers Fall Behind

By SAUL HANSELL

Published: January 25, 2006

New York Times

Marketers need to stay on top of this dynamic media universe in order to listen to consumer commentary and understand what mediums are most effective in reaching their target market segments. Even if you are not yet reaching consumers through the new digital media, you can learn a tremendous amount by analyzing consumer discussions and then engaging with people online.

Questions for marketers:

  • What do consumers think about your product?
  • What do they want? (features, related products, services, information, help…)
  • What is the best medium for sharing information about your product?
  • What are other innovative companies doing to reach like audiences?
  • What new media can you provide to happy customers that will get them to talk about your products and connect people to your website/video/blog/podcast/tv program etc.
  • What can you do to satisfy disappointed customers and reverse negativity?

Consumers are providing answers to these questions for free everyday online.

Posted by Julie Woods on January 25, 2006 at 01:52 PM | Email this post Permalink

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Comments

Yep, and new media as well as old are facing the three threat issues Hansell identifies-- shifting business models, unprecedented competition in creativity, and loss of control to newly empowered users.

Posted by: Betsy Devine | Jan 25, 2006 6:51:22 PM

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