Print’s hangin’ in there – and will continue to do so

I was recently flipping through a friend’s People magazine when I stumbled across an interesting – and comforting – advertisement. It was a simple text ad – a bold, two-sentence headline with five short paragraphs – with a powerful message. Young adults (ages 18 to 34), like myself, are the most dedicated readers of magazines, and readership among that demographic is increasing. It equals or surpasses the over-34 counterparts in issues read per month and time spent per issue. A sign that print isn’t dead.

While the Internet has certainly crippled the circulation of major U.S. dailies, it has also enhanced the written word. According to the ad, nearly 22 percent of all new paid magazine subscriptions last year were ordered online. Some people thought the Internet would have entirely demolished print’s existence, but print’s nonetheless surviving.

I’m optimistic that print media will never fully vanish because of the tangible experience you have while holding newsprint, leafing through a magazine or engaging in longer, enterprise-related stories. New media has brought news to us in more ways than ever before, and you can now read articles no matter where you are or what you’re doing. As the new media revolution continues to strengthen in the coming years, the Internet will further energize print because the power of print will never be lost.

Are you all aboard on the Twitter train?

At first social media sites like Facebook and Twitter were dominated by individuals just looking to share some photos or thoughts with other individuals. In the past few years there has been a heavy stream of businesses jumping aboard the social media bandwagon. There are still a lot of skeptics out there that don’t think having Twitter handle or Facebook page is going to make much of a difference to their company, or it’s not right for their type of company -- and I couldn’t disagree more.

Social media is here to stay. It might be constantly changing, but this way of engaging with people from all walks of life, from all over the world, isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Twitter recently reported that they had 125 million registered users. Imagine if you could tap into just a tiny percentage of those users? You really can if you go about it the right way!

You should definitely use the social media outlets to tell your customers about exciting company news, new products and any promotions you are running. But the key to a successful social media presence it to get down to a personal level with the customers or potential customers you engage with on these sites.

At InkHouse we have clients who do an outstanding job of this. They take the time to answer every question tweeted their way, thank those who gave their product or company praise, and do their best to make sure problems and concerns are addressed. It’s almost like another customer service channel at times, and customers are constantly turning to tweeting to a company rather than calling some robotic 800 number that usually ends up in punching the # sign over and over until your finger is numb.

These satisfied customers you just engaged with online often then take to their Twitter handles or Facebook walls and tell hundreds and even thousands of their followers how wonderful of a company yours was and that they made them feel like they mattered as a customer. Then those followers retweet it to their followers or share it with their Facebook friends, and over and over it gets retweeted and shared. Before you know it, those simple acts of customer engagements have made positive impressions on a countless number of people. Word of mouth has a whole different effect in the social media world.

Don’t even think for a second that your company’s line of business wouldn’t benefit from having a social media presence or isn’t the type of company to be tweeting. There is such a broad spectrum of companies using social media it would surprise you. I recently read an article about the growing number of plumbers using social media. They’ve been using Twitter to get advice from other plumbers, share knowledge and look for parts, as well as engage with their customers.

Still aren’t convinced you need social media? Don’t forget, consumers aren’t the only ones using Facebook and Twitter. There are countless decision makers who have a presence on social media sites. Having tools like Twitter and Facebook in your toolbox gives your company another way to start a conversation with these decision makers that some of your competitors may not have tried yet.

InkHouse Featured in Boston Business Journal

Shameless self promotion alert. InkHouse was featured today on the cover of the Boston Business Journal about our growth and hiring this year, which includes our fantastic social media team. Thanks to everyone at InkHouse for all of your hard work.

Scott Kirsner on Embargoes and the PR/Media Landscape

Meg posted a piece on the embargo debate on June 14 and today, Scott Kirsner has posted his view on this evolving issue in the PR and media world. An important issue for all PR people today.

Fred Wilson on Being Present

Thanks to Robert Scoble, I just came across Fred Wilson's Father's Day post on the importance of being present and thought I'd pass it along. A worthwhile read for all of us who are glued to our email, social networks and mobile devices 24x7.

Does privacy still exist?

Although the recent Facebook privacy issues generated quite a buzz, the growth of social media and popularity of GPS gadgets are pushing the boundaries of our privacy. I was initially very skeptical about Foursquare, but it apparently has 1.6 million members now, who voluntarily post their whereabouts. Given that so many of us now have cell phones with built-in GPS, it is difficult for marketers and advertisers to ignore these new opportunities.

Obviously, there is a fine line between leveraging location-based data and invading privacy - even though marketers insist they still need your permission to access personal information. The growing popularity of social media and smartphone applications that ask for your location does not seem to have raised much concern for the average user of social media. In fact, despite recent privacy issues, Facebook has only lost around 30,000 users

According to a recent article from The Wall Street Journal, companies do not always disclose what they do with consumers' personal data once they have access to it, and the majority of location-based applications lack privacy policies. As more consumers are willing to share their personal information down to their whereabouts, it creates serious issues and questions. As consumers become transparent in today's "privacy-less" world, marketers also need to become transparent when it comes to collecting and using such information. Thankfully, the VC investment in privacy-related start-ups has increased, which makes me optimistic about confidentiality boundaries in the future. In the meantime, I am seriously considering joining Foresquare.

Gourmet is back!

I was among many who mourned the shuttering of Gourmet magazine, both as an amateur cook and a PR professional. As we have said before here on InkLings, we value great content, and would be more than happy to pay a premium for it. There is certainly a place for mass-produced content when it comes to things that matter little or don't require thoughtful analysis. However, when it comes to cooking, I want an expert to weigh in on the best way to roast a Thanksgiving turkey, or the best possible recipe for pancakes on a Sunday morning -- thank you Ruth Reichle for showing me the way.

I am thrilled to see Gourmet in its new incarnation. At first glance at their video it looks like it will combine some social tools to make it very accessible. I am in your corner Gourmet and can't wait to see what it brings!