Dramatic changes to media consumption along with technological advances have encouraged brands to become media organisations themselves.
The last fifteen years has seen a fundamental shift in the media landscape. Deregulation of the newspaper, magazine and broadcast industries together with technological advances have resulted in the barriers to becoming a media organisation eroding almost completely. The result is an increasingly fragmented media market with the reach (and therefore the importance) of individual traditional media organisations generally decreasing. This has resulted in a vicious circle. As audiences have decreased so have revenues from advertising and sales, resulting in staff cuts that have reduced the quality of the journalism and its value to its audience, further reducing audience size.
As audience sizes have shrunk and technology has made it easier and cheaper to publish content, companies have focused on their own publishing capabilities and “brand journalism” has become increasingly common. High quality cameras and video technology have become both cheaper and easier to use. Social media channels, which continue to evolve rapidly, are providing brands with the opportunity to develop their own audiences cost effectively and to communicate directly with them. In short, every company now has the opportunity to be a media company.
Developments in website technology, and the importance of search engine rankings, have made it easier and more important for organisations of all sizes to put their websites at the heart of their communications strategies. The cost and effectiveness of websites as publishing platforms varies dramatically however and often dates quickly. The challenge many brands are struggling with is how to make these various technologies work together.
5. Comms responsible had no influence & control
On-time & real-time PR was impossible
Obstacles lead to less content
Brand missing out
Social channels as escape
6. Technology was usually standard web CMS tool
Built by general web designers; not specialists
Design was one dimensional; by the client
Project became expensive & incomplete
12. Existing business model can’t finance earned media
Reduced sources for coverage & content creation
Less opportunity for free publicity
13. Free channel... but no control
In search of viable business models
Reliability as main comms tool?
Social channels are free... require large investment
14. Brands are media outlets
Stakeholders, specialized blogs & industry portals
Brands expected to be opinion leaders
Digital PR effort to address business conversion