It’s a fact. Local advertisers are moving more of their marketing dollars….to online. Understandably, sales reps for newspapers, radio and the Yellow Pages are not amused. While revenues are dropping at traditional media properties, they’re actually growing at digital-first companies that focus on helping the local advertiser.
Have ya noticed? Pink slips and lay-offs happen so much, it no longer makes big headlines. Example: Brian Farnham; editorial chief at Patch, is on his way out. Was it because he was a poor journalist? No. It was because Patch never had a realistic, local revenue plan. Lot’s of smart people there for sure….but NO ONE had any idea on how to sell stuff to local business. Brian was screwed due to mis-management in the AOL sales & revenue department.
While Google & Reach Local ramp up their local efforts….the newspaper industry is busy erecting paywalls and scaring off local advertisers with their lack of digital savvy…. and polarizing, political spin.
The video below highlights how a newspaper or other local media organization, can grow new business. Nothing is better than the effective use of client educational workshops. Here’s a clip where I teach The Press of Atlantic City how to put on ‘Web 101 Workshops for Small Business’.