Skip to main content

Seeing through the Haze Surrounding Websites, Blogs and Social Media

Communicating regularly is hard work. It takes skill; it takes a voice; it takes having something to say; it takes time. Making money from it is even harder.

The functions provided by websites, blogs, and social media clearly make it possible for people to express themselves in ways never before imagined, to share their opinions, to express their hopes and dreams, and to share the details of their lives. Media companies are watching these developments and many are rushing to provide content on any communication technology or application the public uses.

Although large numbers of people are trying the new technologies, they are reacting to them in different ways. Some find them highly useful and satisfying; some find them worthless and disappointing; some find them a worthy pastime; others find them a waste of time. What this means is that—like all technologies—they are more important to some people than to others. Consequently, managers need to be realistic in assessing their potential, the extent to which they are being used by the public, and the extent to which they provide opportunities that media companies should pursue.

Because those promoting the technologies are self interested, uptake figures are easy to come by. Finding out who has tried the technologies, but decided they were undesirable is harder. However, research is showing some interesting results in that regard. We now know that 60 percent of the people who try Twitter stop using it within a month, that only about 5% of blogs are regularly updated, that more than 200 million blogs have been abandoned, and that about 37 million web domain names are deleted every year.

Most people and organizations who try these new communication opportunities make limited use of them or give up on them altogether because of boredom or because the opportunities don't provide sufficient results. This is not to say they are not unimportant, however. A good number of individuals and companies are using them to create new abilities and opportunities to communicate with friends, colleagues, and customers and to establish new businesses and revenue streams. Doing so, however, takes commitment that most people and firms are unwilling to make.

From the business standpoint one has to be realistic when evaluating the opportunities presented. Media executives need to ask hard questions: Do all media companies need to provide content across every available platform regardless of the cost and effort? Are all types of news and information appropriately carried on all platforms? In what ways is branding and marketing for the company actually served by these engagements? How are these monetized? What are the returns on the investments? What are the risks of not engaging these technologies?

Success is not easy in this technological environment. It requires investment, effort, regular activity, and provision of content that people want. Media managers choosing to use these new technologies must be clear-headed in their decisions and pursue well-founded strategies or they will be lost in the maze of competing and alternative opportunities.

Popular posts from this blog

CAN PUBLIC BROADCASTERS HARM COMPETITION AND DIVERSITY?

This is not trick question and it is being increasingly asked as public broadcasters grow larger, offer multiple channels, move into cross-media operations, and increasingly commercialize their operations. The Federal Communications Commission will have to consider that question shortly when it considers the effort of WGBH Education Foundation—operator of WGBH-TV, the highly successful Boston-based public service broadcaster—to purchase the commercial radio station WCRB-FM. WGBH is the top ranked member of the Public Broadcasting Service in the New England and produces about one third of PBS’ programming. It operates a second Boston television station, WGBX-TV, and WGBY in Springfield, Massachusetts. In addition it operates FM radio stations WGBH (Boston), WCAI (Woods Hole), WZAI (Brewster), and WNAN (Nantucket) and is a member of National Public Radio and Public Radio International. It operates two commercial subsidiaries involved in music rights and motion picture production. This mo...

Slow down

Estamos na última semana do verão e por aqui o tempo continua bem bom. Claro que não está mais tanto calor como em Agosto, mas ainda consigo andar de camisolas e tops de alças, t-shirts, vestidos e saias. Num ou noutro dia lá precisei de um blazer ou quimono de manhã cedinho ou de noite, mas ainda está calor. E o que é que eu quero com este paleio todo? Não, não é conversa de circunstância vir aqui falar do tempo. Só me chateia um bocado ver imensa gente já cheia de frio e em colecções de outono dos pés à cabeça quando ainda temos muitos dias com máximas perto dos 30º!! Really!!! Eu já dei uma olhada nas novas colecções e já me apetece o frio para vestir-me em layers, cores mais escuras, malhas, mas calma... O chinelo no pé e a sandália ainda estão mais do que permitidos! Porque já andam de botas, camisolas com gola e manga comprida, casacos de couro... se está tanto calor? Estamos em Setembro, ainda está bom tempo, não andem por aí cheias de roupa da nova colecção, qual vitrina da...

Why should you have a uniform?

Desde maio que não partilhava um look meu aqui! Oh-Meu-Deus!!!! IMENSO!!! Acho que nunca estive tanto tempo sem publicar por cá os meus outfits, mas a verdade é que não tenho tido tempos mortos para conseguir fotografar. Quando tenho tempo não tenho fotógrafo disponível. Este foi o look que usei no jantar do meu aniversário, há mais de um mês, I know, e é daqueles looks bem simples mas que resultam sempre lindamente. Eu adoro este tipo de combinações. E não podia ser mais apropriado aos últimos meses que têm sido non stop. Confesso que cada vez mais sou adepta de deixar pronta a roupa que vou vestir no dia seguinte antes de dormir. Pensar no que vou vestir antes de sair para o trabalho acaba por me gastar demasiados minutos, ainda não estou bem acordada, tenho o raciocínio lento, noto que perco mais tempo quando na verdade o que eu queria era ainda estar a aproveitar a cama! Não sei se são como eu ou não, mas este tipo de combinações salva-me os dias, ou melhor, uns minutos a ma...