While
at Book Expo this past spring I picked up a copy of Mastering the New Media Landscape:
Embrace The Micromedia Mindset,
written by Barbara Cave Henricks and Rusty Shelton (Berrett-Koehler Publishers,
Inc.). They talk about the importance of
using social media in a targeted way.
“Marketers
fail to recognize that often the best way to get major media is to first
capture the attention of micromedia," they tell us up front. “The seismic shift in how content is created,
where it is housed, and who can create it has resulted in both an enormous
challenge and a huge opportunity.
Millions can now get their messages heard by micromedia, starting small,
gaining traction and then growing loud and large enough to command the
attention of the traditional outlets whose impact remains important. The challenge of using micromedia for this
purpose demands a dedicated willingness to participate. These new outlets possess a raging appetite
for highly credible, quickly produced, quality content that will appeal to the
audience they were designed to serve.”
So
what are we talking about? There’s a
huge universe of micromedia waiting for you.
It can be found in blogs, podcasts, video segments, and social media
forums such as Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Linked In, Instagram, Snapchat,
YouTube, and Pinterest.
As
you build your strategy and adopt a micromedia mindset, whether with the goal
of using coverage as leverage to crack into traditional, earned media space or
with the hopes of becoming a micromedia outlet yourself, remember that the
single-most important factor in content creation is objectivity. Be clear, be informative, be entertaining,
but always be objective.
Blogs,
podcasts, video segments, and social media forums such as Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr,
LinkedIn, Instagram, and Snapchat feature material that follows their own
specific rules. Learn what is expected
and appropriate before you participate or lobby for coverage.
“Create
content for the niche, not the general audience,” they tell readers.
“Create
your content with this in mind. Don’t
strive to appeal to “everyone” becausee that audience has dispersed. Stop homogenizing your messages so that they
are palatable, or at least understandable, to the masses. The masses have moved on. The mass has fractured back into individuals
who now each have the power to customize and consume their own content
stream. Find your ideal audience, your
perfect customer, and write or create material especially for them.”
The
authors identify three types of media that exist. They note that writers can “own” their
website, blog, podcast, and email list -- and can take control of them based on
their own efforts. “Rented” media
includes advertising that you pay for and social media sites that you don’t
fully control. “Earned” media includes things that cover you or that you
participate in, such as media exposure, speaking appearances, events, and
influence mentions. You should develop a
strategy that includes all three media types.
You are encouraged not to overly rely on any one media type.
Among
their suggestions of how to increase the likelihood the media will discover you
online, they say:
Push
out timely blogposts. Set Google alerts on numerous keywords related to your
topic area and be prepared to respond to what’s trending.
Make
it easy on the media. You need to have a
press room and clear contact info on your website.
Don’t
let your social media infrastructure languish.
Routinely update anything that showcases you online, such as your
website and blog.
Express
an opinion and don’t stay neutral or conservative.
They
also share these six key lessons from journalists:
1.
Know
your audience and what they consume.
2.
Create
messages that are compelling and timely.
3.
Have
someone else check your content before it goes out.
4.
Involve
others in your blogging. Agree to share
each other’s content.
5.
News
jack carefully and respectfully but look to seek out opportunities where you
can take ownership at a story in the news.
6.
Do
not rely on frequency over substance.
So
who should you follow or connect with online?
- Journalists, TV show producers, and radio hosts
- Bloggers and podcasters
- Authors
- Influences
- Experts
- Potential consumers/readers
- Groups, non-profits, associations, conferences, and businesses
- Relevant government agencies
The
book concludes with the ideal formula the authors believe one should tweet to. They
break it down as follows:
- 5% of tweets should focus purely on your blog posts, promotions, accomplishments, new book, etc. These are bragging posts.
- 20% should focus on interacting with others who are interested in or chatting about your area of expertise.
- 25% should be stand-alone tweets that link followers to key stories, videos, stats, and other content you believe they will be interested in.
- 25% should zero in on the lists of journalists and bloggers which could include retweeting their stories or links with commentary at replying journalists (tweeting with their user name).
- 25% should laser in on those authors, experts, and influencers that you want to impress. Again, directly tweet to them or retweet their posts with commentary.
Though
a chart in the book from a 2013 Pew study of online usage may be out dated, it
does give some insight into who is using what.
Of those people who use the Internet 71% are on FB, 22% Linked In, 21% Pinterest,
18% Twitter, and 17% Snapchat. By gender, women use Pinterest 4x as much as males. By race, almost three times as many blacks,
than whites, use Snapchat.
What
will your micromedia strategy before your book?
Check These Recent Posts
Did you see another 36 amazing book quotes?
Whatever happened to The Great Books?
Gutenberg: How one man remade the world with letters
Is it time to deposit your book in the garbage?
A wonderful, short history of the printed word
2016 Book Marketing & Book Publicity Toolkit
2015 Book Marketing & PR Toolkit
2014 Book Marketing & PR Toolkit
Book Marketing & Book PR Toolkit: 2013
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.