New Media Vs. Traditional Media

What do we mean by build your network? Let’s start by looking at it from the point of traditional media. With traditional media, like the newspaper, for example, the goal is to build up subscriptions based on interest in the content of the newspaper. 

A newspaper will then “rent” space in their network in order for you to hopefully reach your customer base within the total subscription base. The main goal of a newspaper reader is to stay up-to-date on the latest news. Your ad is placed within the news content with the intent that it will be discovered while the subscriber is reading the news. 

With new media, by visiting your website, joining your email list, or becoming a fan of your facebook page, people specifically choose to receive your information. Your messages are welcomed. And, once you build up your visitors, email list and fans, the cost to maintain your own network is virtually free. You can then use the dividend to invest in content creation. Content that stays on your website and doesn’t expire.

The point is not that advertising in traditional media is ineffective. The point, rather, is that new media offers a new, effective, low cost way to market your business that can be an alternative or extension to traditional media.