1. Use the Internet to Build Upon Your Traditional Media Brand
Anyone can launch a website. The trick is to add to your current media success rather than detract from it. If you run a newspaper or magazine, it's easy to post all of your content online. What will that do to your paid subscriptions and cash flow? If you manage a TV station, will viewers stick around for the 6 o'clock news when they can get all your news for free at 4 o'clock?While web journalism is a valuable outlet, you need a strategy that will build your brand both online and off. Ultimately, you want to drive traffic between your traditional media base and your new media platforms.
2. Offer Something Different Than Your Competitors
Many media websites offer the same information and even have the same look. Use that to your advantage as you plan for your site to bring something different to your readers.Too many sites bombard visitors with as many links, videos, drop-down menus and pop-up ads as they can. You may discover less is more -- that if you offer quality, targeted information, your site will have more of an impact and be easier to manage.
3. Social Media Sites Can Help Build Your Brand
Nowadays, setting up social media for any business using sites like Facebook and Twitter is expected. They need to be as carefully managed as all of your other media products.What may start as a simple Facebook post can devolve into hurtful name-calling once visitors start posting comments. You can treat it as acceptable free speech or something that has to be deleted immediately.
Make those social media policy judgments now so that your visitors know the rules. Beyond that, decide how social networking tools will lure readers to your other media products.
4. Develop a Plan to Manage These New Resources
All of these free resources are great, but they can drain you mentally and physically from the overall goals of your brand. Who's going to go out and chase down news if everyone on your staff is working to create the world's best media website?Set limits for yourself and your staff on how much time will be devoted to new media platforms. Your presence on the Internet will be a work in progress forever.
5. Monitor Changing Technology
Find similar media outlets which are slightly larger than your operation and regularly check their websites. Often, you'll get a glimpse of the future. It's easy to become both dazzled and discouraged by what's next -- dazzled because of what new tools or layouts can do, but discouraged because you realize it's hard to keep up.The best news is, it's the information that keeps people coming back to new media platforms. As long as you have unique content and continually strive to build your media brand, the flashy gizmos are window dressing.
