Combining Social Media With Traditional Media

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As important as social media is to the success of your business, using it, even to its fullest potential, should never be at the expense of traditional media. They must work together to allow your business to flourish properly.

If you are a business person who understands the importance of integrating the two types of media to get maximum results, you are doing all of the correct things for your business. On the other hand, if you are not so sure of that importance, you might ask how you can integrate all of the social media with your traditional marketing and public relations strategy.

The fact is that social media has become an extremely important part of how businesses market their brand and their products. Technology offers so much at this point that marketers are no longer satisfied with only understanding how to use Facebook and Twitter. They now want to understand how to integrate social media with traditional media into their advertising, public relations and direct marketing campaigns. Of course, traditional media carries with it a great deal of credibility and although it may not create the same kind of buzz that social media creates, it is a very important contributor to the success of business. There are subtle ways in which social media and traditional media meet without your having put them together consciously. For example, anytime you have your business’s logo on an online advertisement for your business, you are seeing that coupling.

In order to succeed with this approach, your mind needs to wrap itself around coming up with ways of thinking about integrating social media, traditional media, and digital media. It is more about the framework than it is about the process. If someone builds you the framework for using social and traditional media for the full advantage of your business, you can apply that over and over again. Once you have the established structure, you will be able to do it on your own as many times as you need to.

  • Truth: It is a known fact that consumers trust the opinions and recommendations of other consumers much more than they trust the business owners. That is the main reason why social media produces such successful results for businesses. People speak to each other. The trust that consumers have for business owners takes time but it will happen eventually.
     
  • Yin and yang: If you were to imagine any symbol when it comes to the integration of social and traditional media, the symbol that expresses the relationship most clearly is yin and yang. The two parts (or types of media in this case) can exist separately. However, in order to truly work as a complete concept, the need to work together. Together, they complete the picture.
     
  • Mutual benefit: When you use social and traditional media together, they feed off of each other and are mutually beneficial. Together, they create a much stronger and much more effective and successful marketing campaign. They complement each other so well and each makes up for whatever is lacking. They complete each other.

There are several points that you need to ponder before you, as a business owner, build your social and traditional integration framework and start to work with the two forms of media. The questions are:

  • Your goals: What is your business goal and what is your communications goal?
     
  • Who is your target market? Before you start, you need to be very sure who your target market is. It is recommended that you don’t only concentrate on demographics. If possible, try to identify with your target market on a more personal level. Try to find out what they look like, how they sound, who their friends are and why they are interested in your product.
     
  • Where is your target market? This does not just mean where they are physically. It also refers to what point they are at in their lives. If you can come up with that answer, you will have the ability to connect with your audience on a much more personal and meaningful level.
     
  • Connecting with your target market: You need to figure out how to touch them in a way that makes them want to stay connected to you.
     
  • Interacting with your target market: Once you have established contact, you need to figure out how to make them stay connected to you. The more you interact with them, the stronger your relationship will become.
     
  • Getting your target market to share you with their friends: Once you have established a strong relationship with the members of your target market, they will start to trust you. Once they trust you, they will want to share you and your offerings with people whom they care about. You will see that the success will really start to boom after this has happened.

Conclusion

When you integrate social and traditional media, you are giving a great deal more strength to your campaign than if you had a single-layer marketing campaign. Integrating adds another dimension and you will see that the success of your business critically depends on that integration.

We are pleased to provide you with the insightful comments contained herein. Please contact us at CompuKol Communications for further discussion on how we might be able to assist you and your team and don’t forget to “like” our Facebook page.

Author

  • Michael Cohn

    Michael Cohn is the founder and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of CompuKol Communications. He has decades of experience in IT and web technologies. Michael founded CompuKol Communications to help small businesses and entrepreneurs increase their visibility and reputation. CompuKol consults, creates, and implements communication strategies for small businesses to monopolize their markets with a unique business voice, vision, and visibility. Mr. Cohn earned a Master’s degree in project management from George Washington University in Washington, DC; and a Master’s degree in computer science and a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, NJ.

17 Responses

  1. Paajanen Eija says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Marketing & Communication Network
    Discussion: Combining Social Media With Traditional Media

    You are so right. Integration is the key word – in all marketing and communications activities. And today, with social media adding more possibilities, integration, and a focus on key messages becomes even more important than before.
    Posted by Paajanen Eija

  2. Ellen Lebowitz says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Media Professionals Worldwide
    Discussion: Combining Social Media With Traditional Media

    Absolutely, you hit the nail on the head, so to speak.

    Traditional media refers to press or media outreach while social media is really marketing. Integration is key here. You need both.
    Posted by Ellen Lebowitz

  3. Boyd Lemon says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: "Write It Down"-A Website for Writers
    Discussion: Combining Social Media With Traditional Media

    How would you advise an author to use traditional media to promote a book? What are the best means?
    Posted by Boyd Lemon

  4. Todd Brewster says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: ThoseinMedia
    Discussion: Combining Social Media With Traditional Media

    Eventually social media will be the "big dog", but for right now traditional media is and you are right social media in most cases is much more effective when used with traditional media.
    Posted by Todd Brewster

  5. Betty Montgomery says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: New Media, Social Media, and Social Networking Participants
    Discussion: Combining Social Media With Traditional Media

    So, by traditional media you mean TV, newspaper, and mailed advertising? But, how are we going to separate them now that we have online TV, online newspapers, and online emails for advertising? And, are we going to call a web site traditional, or non-traditional? I think the medias are melding together, and will be linked, (pun intended), inextricably.
    Posted by Betty Montgomery

  6. Charles Ray says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Writers World
    Discussion: Combining Social Media With Traditional Media

    I couldn't agree more. I just launched a book of blogs I've written, many of which were picked up by the independent media here, but which were originally intended for our organization's FaceBook page and Web site. Thanks to the social media, the word got out to more people. We invited 60, thinking 40 would show up, and I ended up signing 200 copies – not bad for short notice event.
    Posted by Charles Ray

  7. Juli Monroe says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Authors, Writers, Publishers, Editors, & Writing Professionals (no religious/ political discussion)
    Discussion: Combining Social Media With Traditional Media

    And don't forget face-to-face networking. I've got a lot of people I know ready for my book to be published. They know me, are interested in the topic and are ready to promote it to their friends and clients.
    Posted by Juli Monroe

  8. Jill Celeste says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: AssociationofWriters.com
    Discussion: Combining Social Media With Traditional Media

    I totally agree that social media should only be one tool in the marketing tool belt.

    However, I have seen businesses reduce their total marketing costs by using social media to promote things that they normally used traditional media for. I guess it all leads to your objective, audience and how to get the message out!
    Posted by Jill Celeste

  9. Ian Mathie says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Writers World
    Discussion: Combining Social Media With Traditional Media

    The starting point for public knowledge about a product, service, or book is still more commonly through the conventional media because the ice has to be broken somehow. One's eye scanning across a newspaper page will pick up far more varied information than looking at electronic social media and this can be followed up to find out more, which may in turn lead to electronic sites. This is the major reason why reviews in the conventional press can be so important when launching or trying to sell a new book.

    Similarly, physical advertising in bookshops catches the customer's eye and directs him or her to a specific pile of books that might otherwise have been missed. If that information, with the same visual images, also appears on electronic sites so much the better. Once the interest has been initiated the newer social sites can be exploited to proliferate knowledge ,and people's opinions, about the work. Constructive seeding in these media can be used to influence the balance of this opinion in support of sales.
    Posted by Ian Mathie

  10. JT Long says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Publishing and editing professionals
    Discussion: Combining Social Media With Traditional Media

    I agree, it is not an either or, the two together result in an impact that is more than the sum of its parts.
    Posted by JT Long

  11. Paramita Duttaray says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Social Media Marketing Mavens
    Discussion: Combining Social Media With Traditional Media

    Depends on business. For ecommerce social media is far better. Online mainstream newspapers are of no use but Cable TV airing will be useful..
    Posted by Paramita Duttaray

  12. Lisa Lomas says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: ThoseinMedia
    Discussion: Combining Social Media With Traditional Media

    This is right on the mark, I have just had this conversation with a colleague, it needs to be a mix that is consistent and powerful.
    Posted by Lisa Lomas

  13. Pam Pujals says:

     

    LinkedIn Groups

    Group: ThoseinMedia
    Discussion: Combining Social Media With Traditional Media

    I totally agree and one thing that many marketers tend to ignore is that based on numerous studies the media that drive consumers to search and ulitmiately becoming a Fan is traditional media. There needs to be balance and while Social is hot the relatively low out of pocket makes it easier for some to back off traditional media. Back in the day Cable was supposed be the demise of Broadcast TV.
    Posted by Pam Pujals

  14. shaun cassidy says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: ThoseinMedia
    Discussion: Combining Social Media With Traditional Media

    Ok I will be the devil's advocate on this one…

    The generation gap is very large at this time.

    Erik Qualman

    Talks about how over 50% percent the world's population is under 30
    and over 90% of that population is a member of a social media format.

    The fastest growing segment on Facebook 55-60 year old women.

    During the last midterm those who ran for senate and had the most Facebook fans won by over 81%

    In Calgary the new mayor wins by the use of social media only without the use of tradtional media.

     

    In the last Presidential race


    Social Media becomes the greatest factor in 2008 election.

    ……Tradtional media now follows news leads from internet companies

    ….News is coming to us faster via social media then traditional media
    ie twitter

    ….Newspapers around the country are having record declines in profits.

    It is only a matter of time before TV, Radio and Newspapers become only for those over 40 and the new generation takes over.

    The question is how soon this will happen not if it will happen.
    Posted by shaun cassidy

  15. Jiquanda Johnson says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Publishing and editing professionals
    Discussion: Combining Social Media With Traditional Media

    I agree. Social media does help you connect rather quickly in real time. Companies can easily post announcements and keep current and prospective customers up to date. But nothing gives you credibility like real media attention. Traditional methods like newspapers, television news and magazine articles are still a trusted sources of information.
    Posted by Jiquanda Johnson

  16. Todd Brewster says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: ThoseinMedia
    Discussion: Combining Social Media With Traditional Media

    You are right Pam, but you should be glad you are not as old as I am. Radio was suppose to be the demise of newspapers and then TV the demise of radio. You are right about Cable; but the original demise for TV was the remote, then Cable, and then VCR's. Now they say that people who record TV actually look at the TV commercials more intently as they watch to make sure they don't skip over what they want to watch. Where the Internet is killing TV is where people are doing their own placement and have little analytical ability in getting the right reach and frequency as well as many basic intangibles that are now overlooked.
    Posted by Todd Brewster

  17. Todd Brewster says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: ThoseinMedia
    Discussion: Combining Social Media With Traditional Media

    I agree that it will happen, but it is still 5 years away.

    Part of the problem with social media is that it is growing horizonally and even though I am ahead of he curve there is so much I don't know about it and I think that holds true for just about everybody.
    Posted by Todd Brewster