We’re in the midst of a transformation. Trust in legacy media has declined to record lows. More consumers are turning to independent creators and influencers for information. Editorial staff are shrinking amid job cuts across the media industry. And the competition for eyeballs has never been fiercer.
Thriving in this brave new world requires constant agility, a deeper understanding of your audience, and a keen sense of where your message will land most effectively.
Here are three tips to help brands and business leaders get it right:
Know your audience and meet them where they are.
Traditional media still matters, but it’s only one piece of a much larger puzzle. Audiences are now fragmented across screens, and young adults are nearly as likely to trust information from social media as national news outlets. This pattern is evident in the soaring popularity of podcasts, newsletters and platforms like Reddit and Substack.
Additionally, an increasing number of journalists are going independent, and we’re seeing outlets like New York Magazine publish on Substack to meet readers where they are.
Newsletters are also gaining more prominence as a key engagement tool. As web traffic declines, the newsletter format empowers legacy media players, trade pubs and independent creators to build a direct relationship via email and drive habitual readership with their target audiences.
The bottom line: Brands and business leaders need to know where their audience is spending their time and show up accordingly. Following a tried-and-true playbook and relying on legacy media alone will lead to a lot of missed opportunities. Reaching the right audience in the right place(s) with a message that will resonate is what really matters in the current landscape.
Prioritize the most effective format(s).
As new media gains more influence, brands and business leaders must think about where their message will be most effective. Defining success now looks different than it used to — scoring a big win isn’t solely about being in the most well-known publication out there.
Instead, prioritize the format(s) that will allow your message to resonate and successfully break through to your key audience. Maybe it’s a niche podcast or an industry-specific newsletter that reaches a smaller, but more targeted and engaged, audience. These hyper-specific formats will likely be more effective in connecting with your intended audience than solely focusing on traditional top-tier outlets with broader reach.
Thinking strategically about where you’re showing up and why is essential to building personal connections, gaining influence and amplifying your message successfully.
Stay agile and embrace an integrated approach.
Navigating the new media ecosystem is no easy feat and demands an agile approach. To flourish in this environment, brands and business leaders must know their audience and understand where they’re getting information from. Embracing an integrated approach and implementing new strategies that reflect the full landscape is also crucial. This includes earned, owned and paid strategies across multiple channels and mediums and combining the strengths of new media and legacy media to break through. Incorporating influencer support, strategic paid media, and more can further help brands and business leaders maximize their efforts.
– Alexandra Morrison, Account Manager