• Use of Media Channels
  Nicholas Scibetta
• Media Preferences
  Gur Tsabar
• Consumers in Emerging Markets
  Wallace Baldo
• Personal Experience in Decision Making
  Paul Rand
• The Way Professionals Communicate
  Susan Brophy

Use of Media Channels Is More Fragmented Than Ever

The continuous creation of new technologies is speeding up the pace of news gathering and dissemination and providing numerous media outlets for consumers to turn to for their daily doses of information. That means that the time consumers devote to media consumption is more fragmented than ever—presenting multiple challenges for communicators attempting to reach their target audiences.

To help your messages break through, there are at least three things all communicators should consider and strategically evaluate before implementing a program.

• Search engine optimization (SEO): Quite simply, search rules. The media usage survey revealed that across the board, in both the U.S. and BRIC countries, search engine usage ranked among the top four sources the public turns to. Organizations should consistently evaluate the strategic value of incorporating both paid and organic optimization strategies into their overall communications mix.
• Really Simple Syndication (RSS): This is an easy way to distribute your news, with the potential for a big payoff. RSS, which enables consumers to craft individualized news feeds, can be a strategic option for bringing content-specific news to the audiences that care most about it. According to the survey findings, communication professionals believe that their corporate Web site is the most effective source in influencing consumers’ opinions about the image or reputation of their company. This begs the question, is your content available via RSS?
• Monitoring—a public ear: With so many media choices, it’s inevitable that consumers’ media use would mirror this fragmentation. It is important to remember that any one of these outlets could be a forum for others to discuss your brand or products. The question that needs to be asked is this: Are companies truly paying attention to what’s being said? Communicators should continuously evaluate their companies’ or their clients’ media monitoring strategies, both online and offline.

Considering these three things should lead communicators to an important realization: Corporations must be content providers. No one should know the products and services of a company better than the company itself. With this in mind, corporations also have the advantage of being able to provide context along with content, something the media usage survey found consumers are looking for. In a world of so many media choices, the corporation should establish itself as the best source for information and insights on its business and products.