To even the most casual observer, it's obvious that many newspapers and magazines are getting thinner. But does that mean that they are becoming irrelevant? Conventional wisdom, and a lot of pundits, say so; but I don't think so. Not any time soon, at least. We all know the struggles that newspapers are having – but they are very broad based, in terms of both their content and the competition for their readers. Yet, there are a few who are thriving. And magazines are a different animal. In fact, I read some research just last week that indicated that readership of magazines (except for the broadest, consumer-focused magazines) is up, and more important, so is engagement.
So why are ad pages down?
My personal opinion is that it's a case of a following the herd mentality among marketers. A few years ago, the media word became all about online. Online was the new model -- the panacea for any marketer who wanted to be at the forefront of the practice, easily picking off one new target after another with extremely micro-focused, data driven messaging and placement. And right or wrong, the herd followed.
Next, online morphed into an obsession with social media, and you ended up with hospitals on Facebook wondering why nobody "likes" them. Come on, folks, just because social medial portals like Facebook work for boy bands selling to teenage girls doesn't mean that social media is the new end-all for healthcare marketers. Still, the herd followed.
Don't get me wrong: I'm not saying that online and social media don't have a legitimate (and very desirable) place in healthcare marketing strategy (I know of some very compelling case studies and approaches); however, I've noticed that, too often, these new media initiatives are funded on a "let's rob Peter to pay Paul" basis -- and "Peter" ends up being print media. That's not a good solution.
The fact is, like any prudent investment strategy, diversification is key. Own your channels and conversations, yes; but own all of them. An engaged prospect is a solid prospect -- no matter where they reside in the pipe. Give me a balanced attack. Give me strategic integration among media in use. Give me engagement. Give me liberty or give me death. Oh, sorry, wrong speech.
Look for posts on intelligently integrating online and social media in future installments, all right here on this same channel. In the meantime, don't be tempted to simply follow the herd. Dare to walk the other direction sometimes, with thought and strategy. You may be very pleasantly surprised at the results.
—Tom Sheehan is Principal Strategist and Creative Director at tomsheehan worldwide. He can be reached at tomsheehan@tomsheehan.com or at 610.478.8448.
