“Social Media Strategy”

The “Social Media Strategy” article gives some great insight into the influence readers have on blogs and the media as a whole.

One of the facts that struck me is that Forrester’s research predicts “that within two years half of all the newspapers will have ceased production.” The journalist in me thinks is sad and refuses to acknowledge that it will become a reality. Yet, as a consumer and the audience, my trends are contributing to the depletion reading the actual newspaper. I don’t have the local newspaper deliver to my house, I read it in my Kindle. This way I not only have access to local news, I also have access to my favorite national newspapers and blogs. I am actually more willing to pay a fee to have it delivered to my Kindle than to my house: I don’t want to have a stack of papers sitting in my apartment. I think this is a reality for a lot of people. We are used to quick access to information, and relying on personal service, especially for local newspapers, is a drag. Internet is simply more reliable.

            Another thing that I thought could be important to DIN, especially for future publishing, is creating conversations, creating buzz. I remember when Twitter began to take force as a social network; it dictates the future of movies. People twitted on what they thought and that would influence if people went to see it or not. As far as DIN, I think that with content and social media, we can create conversations that could hopefully extend to next year’s edition. This also relates to what the article outlines on influence. It states that “those who can cause others to take action, change perception and/or behavior,” are truly influential online. I understand that DIN is not the type of magazine that necessarily cause change of behavior, but I do think that it could be a magazine that can spark conversations about art and writing, such as the ones we have had in class. Our audience are writers, students, professors and their family members, so DIN’s reading community could spread the conversation, and the magazine’s potential to reach people is huge.