Which Medium is the Message in 2009?

In a survey, Media Myths and Realities conducted in late 2008 by Ketchum, one of the largest global public relations agencies and the University of Southern California Annenberg Strategic Public Relations Center it was revealed that consumers are using a wider variety of channels than ever before. Newer channels, such as blogs and social networking sites, are gaining more and more traction. The survey found that 26% of consumers use social networking sites, compared to 17% in 2006. The usage of blogs nearly doubled (24% in 2008 compared to 13% in 2006).

Photo courtesy of Sam LeVan

Influential consumers – the 10% to 15% of the population who initiate change in their communities – of which 43% read blogs by nonjournalists (compared to 16% of the general population) and 32% read blogs written by journalists (8% of the general population).

Conversely, the use of more established media channels continues to wane. The survey revealed that 65% of consumers use major network television news as a source of information (down from 71% in 2006). Local television news saw a sharper drop – 62% in 2008 compared to 74% in 2006.

The use of shopping Web sites among consumers has doubled from 2006 to 2008, with 44% of those visiting shopping Web sites reading consumer reviews and comments there, showing that these sites have transformed into virtual social gathering places and information destinations, rather than just a place to purchase goods.

Consumers are placing more trust in the experiences of their online peers than they are on the retailer’s product descriptions. This means media audiences are having just as much influence, if not more, as the content providers themselves.

Consumer Usage of Online Media (% of US Consumers Using)
Online Media	% of Consumers Using
	2006	2008
Search engines	61%	59%
Email newsletters	40	42
Cable TV news sites	38	31
Social networking sites	17	26
Company website	22	26
Blogs	13	24
Shopping sites	17	35
Videocasts	6	11
Podcasts	5	7
Company Email blasts	7	9
Business news sites	8	8
RSS news feed	5	7
Mobile media	5	6
Source: Ketchum Public Relations, January 2009

The use of more established media channels continues to wane. 65% of consumers use major network television news as a source of information (down from 71% in 2006). Local television news saw a sharper drop – 62% in 2008 compared to 74% in 2006.

Traditional Media Media Usage (% of Consumers)
Media	% of US Consumers Using
	2006	2008
Major network TV News	71%	65%
Local newspapers	69	63
Local TV news	74	63
Cable network news	47	49
Family/friends advice	44	47
Talk radio	36	31
Coworker advice	23	30
National newspapers	18	18
Consumer magazines	23	18
Trade magazines/newsletters	13	12
Celebrity endorsement	14	10
Source: Ketchum Public Relations, January 2009

What can we learn from this? Social media of all forms is a fast growing and influential marketing channel that cannot be ignored. You should be looking at blogs, Twitter, Linkedin, Video Blogging and forums as marketing channels for your service or business.

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