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If the essence of communication is to get the right message, to the right people, at the right time and in the right way, then social media is providing organisations with more channels to do so than ever before.
At a recent IABC lunch panel, ‘The New News Cycle’, BlueChip heard from Nabila Ahmed, companies and markets editor at the Australian Financial Review; Damon Kitney, the Victorian business editor of The Australian; and James Hall, Senior Director, Investor Relations & Corporate Affairs at Brambles; on the effect of the digital era on the news cycle.
On the use of social media to generate story leads, the most resonant comment came from Damon Kitney who said: “No matter what is happening around us, the journalistic craft doesn’t change from having relationships built on trust.” (For more on the role of trust and relationships in the news cycle see our previous blog.)
While many journalists may not use social media as a primary source of leads, it would be a mistake for organisations to discount the power of social media to help them connect with other target audiences.
Which brings us to the question of how do traditional media and social media align? And how should organisations reach out to their target audiences with the right messages at the right time?
While traditional or earned media represents third party endorsements of an organisation, social media channels are owned by an organisation and can be used to issue quality content that shares the story of its brand, its expertise and value it delivers.
Together, earned and owned media enable an organisation to build trust, awareness and engagement by presenting a holistic view of what they do and stand for.
But take heed. Social media shouldn’t be used as ‘just another tactic’ for communication.
The latest buzzword, ‘content marketing’, is more than just the current catchcry of communication and marketing professionals. Rather, it is an overarching strategy that enables organisations to integrate their messages across all channels necessary to engage with target audiences. Messages and content can be transformed into linkable assets that attract traffic, increase brand visibility and awareness, and help build all-important trust among key audiences.
So while many journalists may not use social media as much as they might, it is still a valuable channel for businesses to reach out to their target audiences. And content marketing works seamlessly with earned media to provide consistently valuable and relevant information that may mirror what an audience might be reading or hearing on the news agenda.
For more about content marketing, stay tuned to our blog and explore our blog archives. You can also email us for a complimentary copy of our Content Readiness Checklist, a tool that helps organisations assess the type and quality of content they already own (you may be surprised …).
