Mastering the New Media Landscape

1. The Media Landscape Has Transformed: Welcome to Micromedia

The online world has changed the media world, and it’s not too late to catch up.

A new era. The media landscape has undergone a "seismic shift" in the past two decades, moving from a few powerful "traditional" or "legacy" media "boulders" to a fragmented "micromedia" environment. This transformation, largely driven by the Internet and social media, means that everyone with a smartphone can now be a publisher, a humor columnist, or a radio host. This democratization of information challenges the old gatekeepers and creates a "Wild West" of content.

Micromedia defined. Literally every individual, business, and organization is a micromedia outlet, whether they know it or not. While traditional media jobs have significantly declined (one in four between 2000-2008), digital outlets hosted by individuals and brands have exploded. These new, smaller outlets cater to specific interests, offering customized content that audiences increasingly prefer over general, mass-market information.

Opportunity knocks. This shift presents both a challenge and a huge opportunity. Millions can now get their messages heard, starting small and gaining traction to eventually command the attention of larger, traditional outlets. The key is to embrace a "micromedia mindset," understanding that the power and reach of these smaller, niche platforms are vastly underestimated and can be leveraged for significant influence.

2. Master Three Media Types: Owned, Rented, and Earned

The new media landscape has three types of media—earned media, rented media, and owned media—and you must effectively leverage all three to be successful.

Integrated strategy. Success in the modern media environment requires a holistic approach that combines three distinct but interconnected media types. Each type plays a crucial role, and when thoughtfully integrated, they become "greater than the sum of their parts." Relying too heavily on any single form of media is a "big mistake" that can limit reach and long-term impact.

Defining the types:

• Earned Media: Exposure gained by "earning your way onto someone else’s platform or stage." This includes NPR interviews, New York Times op-eds, or a tweet from a major influencer. It offers high credibility but is difficult to obtain.
• Rented Media: Content you control but "lives on someone else’s platform or stage," such as your Facebook page, Twitter account, or LinkedIn profile. It provides broad reach but lacks full ownership of the audience connection.
• Owned Media: Channels where you "fully own the connection to your audience," including your website, blog, and email list. This is the most critical for long-term value and direct audience engagement.

Synergistic approach. The ideal strategy involves using earned and rented media to drive traffic and build awareness, while consistently converting that audience to your owned media channels. This creates a continuous loop where each media type feeds and strengthens the others, ultimately building a robust and resilient platform.

3. Owned Media is Your Long-Term Asset: Build Your Auditorium

Understanding and growing owned media is, in our minds, the crux of embracing the micromedia mindset and the key to mastering the new media landscape.

Your personal stage. Owned media represents the channels you fully control, such as your website, blog, and email list. Unlike rented platforms, no one can tweak algorithms, shut down your account, or limit your access to your audience on your owned real estate. This direct control is paramount for long-term stability and influence.

The auditorium analogy. Imagine your digital platform as your personal auditorium. When you start, it's sparse, filled mostly with friends and family. Your goal is to dynamically engage this initial audience with entertaining and informative content, encouraging them to share it. When they share, they "stand out in the hall with a big sign and point their audience into your auditorium," helping you grow your subscriber base.

Website as the hub. Your website is the central hub of your owned media. It must be:

• Responsive: Adapting to various devices (mobile, tablet, desktop).
• Fast-loading: Aim for 1-2 seconds to prevent visitor drop-off.
• User-friendly: Built on a flexible platform like WordPress for easy management.
• Conversion-focused: Clearly guiding visitors to desired actions, like joining your email list.

Ultimately, owned media equals ongoing value. It provides a stable foundation for your platform, allowing you to cultivate deep connections and maintain direct access to your audience, regardless of changes on third-party platforms.

4. Leverage Rented Media for Reach, Convert to Owned

When you are reaching an audience via earned or rented media, you don’t ultimately control how long you get to reach that audience or how often your posts will show up.

Borrowed land. Rented media, encompassing platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram, offers immense reach but comes with a critical caveat: you don't own the real estate. Facebook's 2013 algorithm change, which drastically reduced organic reach for brands, serves as a stark reminder that these platforms can alter access to your audience at any time. This makes a heavy reliance on rented media a "potential problem" for both brands and individuals.

Strategic engagement:

• Twitter: Often compared to a "cocktail party," Twitter is excellent for relationship-building with journalists, influencers, and peers. Focus on engaging conversations and celebrating others' insights, rather than self-promotion.
• LinkedIn: Evolved from a digital résumé site to a powerful content platform, LinkedIn allows users to "follow" updates and posts, offering a significant opportunity to grow an audience and share long-form content.
• Facebook: "The family reunion of social networks," Facebook is primarily a relationship-sustaining site. It's best for engaging an existing audience rather than acquiring new ones, and its viral potential is unmatched for content that truly resonates.
• Instagram/Periscope: Highly visual platforms, popular with younger demographics, offering unique ways to connect and share behind-the-scenes content or live video.

The conversion imperative. The primary goal when using rented media is not just to gain attention there, but to "find creative ways to drive them into your auditorium to join your list." Every post, tweet, or video should include a clear call to action, enticing your audience to move from the rented space to your owned website or email list, where you can cultivate a lasting connection.

5. Earned Media Still Packs a Punch: Credibility and Influence

We find it almost comical that while a vague suggestion swirls that traditional media is outdated or soon to be extinct, literally everyone who walks through our doors wants coverage there.

Reports of its death are exaggerated. Despite the rise of micromedia, traditional earned media (newspapers, TV, radio, major online publications) remains "vital to commanding an audience" and offers "huge perceived credibility." While consumption habits have shifted, significant portions of the population still engage with these outlets, and their scarcity in a fragmented landscape actually increases their value.

Solving their pain points. Traditional media outlets are operating with slimmer margins and fewer staff, yet face increased demand for content. This creates an opportunity for those who can "create credible content, suitable to the style and readership of the outlet." Offering well-researched articles, expert opinions, or timely insights can position you as a valuable resource.

Strategies for securing earned media:

• Create, Create, Create: Develop timely, newsworthy, and credible content (bylines, interviews, expert commentary) that solves the media's need for material.
• Customize Everything: Tailor each pitch to the specific journalist, their beat, and recent stories, demonstrating a deep understanding of their needs.
• Consider the Context: Frame your message within larger issues or trends, making it more relevant to the news cycle (newsjacking).
• Become a Valuable Source: Be clear, compelling, available, and objective. Respect journalistic rules to build long-term relationships and be remembered when expertise is needed.

Earned media provides a powerful endorsement, lending immense credibility to your message and driving audiences to your owned and rented platforms.

6. Discoverability is Key: Make it Easy for Media to Find You

Today, the media is so deluged with pitches that often the best way to reach them is not by calling but by giving them a reason to call you.

Google is your publicist. In today's media environment, journalists are increasingly turning to online searches to find story ideas and experts. A Cision/George Washington University study found that 89% of journalists use blogs, 65% use social networking sites, and 52% use Twitter for research. This means your online presence is your "best assistant publicist," giving media a reason to call you rather than you constantly pitching them.

Passing the "Google test":

• Own your search results: Aim to control at least one of the top five search results for your name or business. If you don't have a website, your LinkedIn profile or other rented channels should be optimized.
• Make contact easy: Ensure your website has a dedicated "press room" with clear contact information (email, phone number), not just a contact form. Journalists on deadline need immediate access.
• Push timely content: Regularly publish blog posts that connect your expertise to current news, using relevant keywords to increase discoverability by searching journalists.
• Have an opinion: Provocative, well-reasoned content that takes a clear stance is more likely to be shared and catch a journalist's eye.

Beyond journalists. Discoverability extends beyond media. Potential clients, employers, and even new acquaintances will vet you online. Your online brand, from your website to your social media profiles, forms their "first impression" before they ever meet you.

7. Content is King: Create Compelling, Niche-Focused Material

The most important component of success in the age of micromedia is a passion for your message.

The engine of growth. Content is the "most important engine for growing the size of the audience" across all media types. Whether it's a blog post, a byline, or a social media update, quality content is what pulls people to your platforms and keeps them engaged. It's crucial to move beyond thinking of your website as a "virtual brochure" and instead create dynamic, valuable material.

Lessons from traditional journalism:

• Know your audience: Define your ideal reader or listener and tailor content to their specific interests and needs, rather than trying to appeal to "everyone."
• Compelling and timely: Ensure your messages are relevant, fresh, and offer a unique perspective.
• Credibility and objectivity: Always prioritize factual accuracy and avoid self-promotional "blather."
• Seek feedback: Involve others in reviewing your content to ensure clarity, effectiveness, and integrity.

Suggested blog formula: A balanced approach to blogging can maximize impact:

• Evergreen posts (25%): Long-shelf-life content not tied to current events (e.g., "5 Questions Every Leader Should Ask").
• Interview/Spotlight series (25%): Feature other experts to build relationships and bring in like-minded readers.
• Newsjacking (25%): Connect your message to timely news stories to attract journalists and new readers.
• Audience interaction (20%): Engage directly with your followers.
• Self-promotion (5%): Keep promotional content minimal, following the "NPR model" of providing value first.

This structured approach ensures consistency, relevance, and relationship-building, making your content a powerful magnet for your audience.

8. Build Relationships, Not Just Promotions, on Social Media

On the contrary, it is more often a combination of an individual’s or brand’s own engaging, insightful, and/or funny content combined with a focus on celebrating the accomplishments and insights of others that generates the kind of goodwill that drives audience growth—on Twitter and beyond.

Beyond "me-first." Many new social media users mistakenly view platforms like Twitter as purely promotional tools, leading to "me-first" content that fails to engage. True success on rented media comes from building genuine relationships and providing value, not just pushing your own agenda. As Carol Sanford discovered, social media can connect you with "some of the most interesting thinkers in the world."

Strategic engagement on Twitter:

• Listen first: Spend a few weeks observing conversations and etiquette before actively tweeting.
• Follow strategically: Target journalists, bloggers, authors, influencers, businesses, and potential customers in your niche.
• Engage as peers: Interact with journalists and influencers by retweeting, commenting insightfully, and celebrating their work, without pitching.
• Data mining: Track who shares your content to identify high-value targets for follow-up, offering personalized thank-yous or valuable resources.

Twitter formula for engagement:

• 25% on journalists/bloggers (retweets, @replies, linking to great stories)
• 25% on authors/experts/influencers (engaging as colleagues)
• 25% on stand-alone valuable content (links, videos, stats)
• 20% on audience interaction (@mentions, responses, thank-yous)
• 5% on self-promotion (blog posts, promotions)

This balanced approach fosters goodwill, expands your network, and makes your occasional self-promotional efforts more impactful.

9. Speaking Engagements Drive Audience to Your Platform

Use every opportunity you have in front of an audience to move at least some of that group from the physical auditorium they are sitting in over to the virtual space you have created for your work.

Live impact. Speaking engagements, whether in-person or virtual, offer a powerful way to build thought leadership and connect directly with your target audience. While the speaking business has seen shifts, its "renaissance in recent years" means new opportunities for those who tailor talks to shrinking attention spans, the hunger for entertainment, and the value of face-to-face contact.

Building a speaking career:

• Identify your audience: Research professional organizations, trending industry issues, and your social media followers to pinpoint groups most impacted by your expertise.
• Perfect your performance: Practice regularly, record yourself, and seek opportunities to present (e.g., Rotary Clubs, Toastmasters) to hone your skills. "Greatness isn't reserved for a preordained few. It is available to you and to everyone."
• Represent your skills: Create a comprehensive "speaker's kit" with a professional bio, list of topics, testimonials, and high-quality video clips of your presentations. House this on your website with clear contact information.
• Don't refuse unpaid gigs: Early, unpaid engagements are invaluable for practice, building credibility, and gathering material for your kit.
• Amplify with social media: Use hashtags, display your social media handles, and encourage audience interaction during and after your talk to extend its reach online.
• Sell with tact: Integrate subtle calls to action for your products or services, aiming to convert attendees into new customers or email subscribers.

Speaking virtually through webinars and teleseminars also offers significant opportunities to reach a broad audience online, providing value and promoting your offerings.

10. Futureproof Your Strategy: Adapt and Integrate

Predicting the future of media is largely folly. But experts do agree that technology will continue to change the way we live and work, and globalization will become even more deeply entrenched in our society as information flows seamlessly across geographical borders.

Embrace constant evolution. The media landscape will continue to evolve at "increasingly blinding speed," with technology accelerating the convergence of digital media. Distinctions between "old and new media will fade," and content will become even more important. To remain relevant and visible, you must commit to a long-term plan that anticipates and adapts to these changes.

Six ways to futureproof your presence:

• Become Discoverable: Optimize your online presence (website, blog, social media) so journalists and potential clients can easily find you. Remember, 84% of journalists still value PR professionals for primary research, so a blend of online discoverability and direct outreach is key.
• Own, Don't Just Rent: Actively work to convert audiences from rented platforms (Facebook, Twitter) to your owned channels (email list, website). This "renter's insurance" protects your audience connection from algorithm changes or platform demise.
• Build Integrated Strategies: Develop media plans that leverage earned, owned, and rented platforms synergistically. Understand how skills built in one area (e.g., writing compelling blog posts) can amplify efforts in another (e.g., crafting effective tweets).
• Make a Written Plan: Envision your desired media presence, list specific goals (e.g., regular contributions, speaking gigs), and outline how you'll use various platforms. Refer to this plan to guide your promotional efforts.
• Aim for Accuracy and Authenticity: Base all promotional efforts on genuine education, working knowledge, and experience. Being real and authentic builds trust and is more sustainable than maintaining a false image.
• Create a Community: Don't just "build it and hope they will come." Actively draw an audience to your owned platforms by offering irresistible value, knowledge, and exclusive benefits that encourage them to sign up and engage.

By embracing this proactive, integrated, and audience-centric approach, you can navigate the uncertain media future and ensure your voice continues to reach and impact your intended audience.

Last updated: August 25, 2025