More Media Fragmentation and Diminished Importance of Reach
Loyal AgWired fans will know that I am a big fan of Steve Rubel, Micro Persuasion. He’s one of the new media guru’s who helped form my initial thinking about the online world and the direction it was going at the time we started ZimmComm New Media. He posted a great outlook for where media is going yesterday which is also his column in AdAge. In it he addresses one of the key issues that “traditional” media and “traditional” media buyers/planners are having with online content delivery mechanisms – fragmentation and meaningful metrics.
Although advertisers increasingly are exploring other metrics, i.e. engagement and reputation, reach still rules — at least for now. Unfortunately, reach is slowly losing its value as media consumption increasingly moves deeper into the digital realm.
Where in the analog age we might be loyal to a given media brand, today’s consumers are far more agnostic. We’re more likely to dip into an array of online sources including traditional news sites and blogs — and often via search or social networks.
All of this diminishes the entire concept of reach. After all, if a site claims that it reaches millions but they’re all just drive-bys, do such figures truly matter? In the years ahead, advertisers will rethink reach and not pay nearly as much for it as they did when they bought media based on a rate base and/or circulation. This will create tremendous disruption for media companies as they have to shift to new ways to prove their value.
It’s his belief (I share it) that “five years from now all media will either be completely digital or well on its way to becoming intangible.” Then marketers will have to rely on great creative and employ multiple media channels to achieve their goals.
If you’re in media buying or planning what are your major concerns right now? How do you plan to best invest your limited dollars? Do you think you understand today’s consumer (farmer) media consumption habits?
In this week's program Chuck talks with Mike Adams, AgriTalk.
1 Comment
Mark Jewell
What I am finding in day to day networking – online – with agriculture professionals is reflective of Steve’s comments. I’ve been slapped before, because someone else’s website has more HITS than mine does – so there is more perceived value. Possibly still true. However, their strategy is being crafted based on the same rules – numbers = success. But what happens when the rules change. What if the rules become more associated with the amount of time spent on one’s site, or the actions taken while visiting? Then your numbers don’t mean nearly as much. I think we need to heed Steve’s words today – and make them a part of what we are planning for, 5 years down the road.
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