The
news consumption habits of Americans continue to evolve with technology, just
as it did when television came out, as well as radio. According to a new poll from the Pew Research
Center, more people now get news more often from social media than print
newspapers. So what does this mean for
authors looking to crack the media code?
According
to the study, many people consult multiple sources for their news, crossing
several mediums, but the most popular source continues to be television. 49% of Americans admit to getting a lot of
their news from TV. 33% site news
websites, 26% radio, 20% social media, and just 16% print newspapers.
However,
as you can see, the poll didn’t ask people to rank which source they use most
often, only asking them which types of media they utilize, allowing for more
than one response. It also doesn’t
indicate how many people don’t consult any sources of news.
But
patterns are emerging.
Over
the last several years, TV viewership of the news has dropped. So has readership of print newspapers. Radio listenership is flat. News websites and social media
increased. Those 65 and older are five
times as likely as 18-to-29-year-olds to get news from TV, while those 18 to 29
are four times as likely to often get news from social media than those 65 and
older.
The
source of news for Americans is important.
How people are informed – and by whom – can influence the kind of
society we live in. It also can impact
book sales, depending on how these different news sources are approached by
authors and publishers.
The
study could be misleading. For instance,
it’s saying 1 in 5 Americans get at least some of their news from social
media. But if that includes the times
when someone retweets a New York Times
article or a Facebook post discusses a Washington
Post story, or a You Tube video is based on a USA Today story, is the “source” really social media or print
newspapers?
The
study would count those as social media news, since the consumer first learned
of a story via a social media outlet, despite the fact that outlet did no
original reporting and merely presented an existing newspaper story.
So
much of what circulates online is based on real news stories from legitimate
traditional news media outlets. So
authors should still contact established news media outlets across all mediums,
with the hopes their book will be covered, by nearly all types of media. They know there’s value in having a Wall Street Journal article, then a tweet about it, a Facebook post linking the
story, and a You Tube video discussing it.
Each
news medium has its own advantages in influencing society. Some people prefer to see (TV) or listen
(radio) or consume online (podcast, video, social media, website). Others like print in their hands –
newspapers, magazines, or newsletters.
For authors to reach people through each medium, they’ll need to shape a media pitch that fits in with that medium. Obviously, a pretty face or a cool visual goes well on TV, not so much on radio. And if you influence people best with your written words, a bylined article for a publication or website could be the way to go. Perhaps you are an interesting personality who can constantly dish out content. Social media would be your best option.
For authors to reach people through each medium, they’ll need to shape a media pitch that fits in with that medium. Obviously, a pretty face or a cool visual goes well on TV, not so much on radio. And if you influence people best with your written words, a bylined article for a publication or website could be the way to go. Perhaps you are an interesting personality who can constantly dish out content. Social media would be your best option.
The
Pew Study shows the importance of pursuing all media. No one media is consumed
by the majority of Americans and in many cases, multiple media sources are
devoured by people. Don’t be quick to
live and die with one medium, and when possible, look to make an impact in all
or many of them.
Books
transcend all media. Someone listening
to NPR is as likely a book purchaser as one who watches CBS This Morning, follows the tweets of an influencer, reads a NYT article or a Newsweek editorial, or consumes a popular political podcast or
reads Huff Post.
Every media outlet is important, and each medium is significant.
Every media outlet is important, and each medium is significant.
DON”T MISS THESE!!!
Authors Need Holiday Card Approach To Book Marketing
Best-Seller Book Marketing Resolutions: 2019
How authors can sell more books
No. 1 Book
Publicity Resource: 2019 Toolkit For Authors -- FREE
Brian Feinblum’s insightful views, provocative
opinions, and interesting ideas expressed in this terrific blog are his alone
and not that of his employer or anyone else. You can – and should -- follow him
on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels
much more important when discussed in the third-person. This is copyrighted by
BookMarketingBuzzBlog © 2018. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in
Westchester. His writings are often featured in The Writer and
IBPA’s Independent. This was named one of the best book
marketing blogs by Book Baby http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs and recognized by Feedspot in 2018 as one of the
top book marketing blogs. Also named by WinningWriters.com as a "best
resource.” He recently hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.