Is the end of print media near?

Definition from Dictionary.com

Is print media dying a slow death?

Ever since Al Gore invented the Internet in the early ’90s, people have been predicting the imminent death of print media. In defense of that forecast, “print advertising revenue is now just 45% of what it was in 2006” (source).

Don’t misunderstand me, I still subscribe to a number of magazines and read the newspaper often. However, hundreds of newspapers and magazines have disappeared in just the last ten years and this may be a trend that is unstoppable in the very near future.

Print Media Chief Warns of Massive Shake Out

When the former chief of the Washington Post warns of ruin when advertisers ‘wake up’, the days of speculation about the demise of print media are coming to a close.

A former managing editor of the Washington Post is warning of a massive shake out in print journalism once advertisers “wake up” to the reality that they are wasting money on newspaper and magazine advertising, not digital, where their audience is. (See story)

The Information Consuming Market Has Changed

You and I may love our daily newspaper and special magazines, but the reality is that we are being replaced by a new generation that no longer subscribes to paper media. Their source for news and information of any kind is online. Period! They utilize their desktop computers, Tablet PCs and smartphones to access everything and they share what they learn with their friends.

As an advertiser, if you want to reach this audience you will not accomplish it with newspaper or magazine ads. You must reach them on their digital devices. If you want them to discover your website when they search for your products or services, you must spend the time and money necessary to optimize your website for search.

Search Marketing - Not Advertising

In my previous post, “Over One Billion Websites – Can They Find Yours?”, I discussed this very topic of how to leverage search marketing. Search optimization is not rocket science, but it does require that you do certain things to capture the attention of search engines.

I won’t bore you with all the geek-speak, but making sure that your webpages are titled properly using descriptive words that explain your products or services and adding a succinct description to every page is extremely important. Since search engines cannot see your photos, adding descriptive “Alt Tags” is an important tactic. Including sufficient text on every page that describes your products or services is a must.

You must keep in mind that search engine spiders are not people that make objective decisions by looking at your pages. These “robots” make the determination of what your site is about by reading the text on your pages. They assign weight to page titles, headlines and other components, and they decide if your website should be included in search results. This is what is called “Onsite SEO”.

Local Digital Marketing

As the official Flathead Valley Business Directory, the Flathead Guide is a 100% digital and it is optimized for all digital devices like smartphones and Tablet PCs. Our marketing is locally focused to reach the consumers of the Flathead Valley and the millions of visitors we receive each year.

A “Wake Up” Call for Flathead Businesses

As the former chief of the Washington Post warned, it is time to “wake up” and acknowledge that business marketing is evolving. Traffic to your website today is anywhere from 25% to 40% from mobile devices. A listing in the Flathead Guide can help you attract more business today - and in 2015 and beyond.

Working to Promote Your Business

The Flathead Guide works hard to generate interest in our business listings and one of the ways we do this is by leveraging our extensive social presence.

• YouTube Channel with over 540,000+ video views
• Pinterest Followers of 1,700+ (one of the largest Montana Pinterest boards)
• Facebook Fans 1,100+ and counting more every day
• Twitter over 600+ (mostly local) followers
• Our network of related social sites drive significant traffic to the Flathead Guide

Advertising is Good, Search Marketing is Better

Attracting customers at the exact moment they are “ready to buy” is the point of search marketing - and what makes it the most effective way to grow a business. Think about it this way… If you own a tire store, you could buy a full page ad in the newspaper every day. However, I guarantee that when John Doe needs to buy tires, he will NOT reach for the newspaper, he will search online for deals and a local tire store.

Get positioned online to leverage search marketing, and your first objective should be to claim your listing in the Flathead Guide!

PS: If you still have questions and want to learn about the other benefits of having your business listed in the Flathead Guide, see this.