Custom Publishing | Custom Media | Imagination Publishing

There is a popular expression (you may have heard of it) that says, “out with the old and in with the new.” And while this applies to many situations in our lives, there is one place where it does not apply despite what people may think – print media. Some editors are beginning to embrace newer forms of media, especially social media, as a way to enhance their print content and increase revenue. So really, in the editorial world, the saying goes, “in with the new, but keep the old.”

And while college students endure countless lectures listening to journalism professors prophesize new media forms and those already in publishing careers scour media blogs and online news outlets reading over and over again how print is nearly obsolete, these key figures in the editorial world are learning to blend old and new media forms.

But how are these individuals creating a seamless coexistence between their digital content and their printed publications? According to Gina Gotthilf, social media strategist for BlueGrass Inc., there are seven ways that editors can capitalize on their social media efforts to help enrich their print counterparts.

Among those seven strategies (which include monetizing social media pages with banner advertisements and sponsored posts and extending the editorial experience beyond flat pieces of print writing by posting videos and providing real-time discussions with niche professionals on social media pages), one strategy is especially valuable when trying to enhance publications and counter ongoing discussions that print is a diminishing conduit for information.

First, Gotthilf suggests for editors to expand their editorial content by bringing reader comments across various social media platforms into the pages of magazines. By enticing readers to provide commentary, personal experiences, and preferences for future content, editors are able to recognize what their readers truly want to see in upcoming print issues.

This strategy can best be implemented by posing discussion questions and creating polls to encourage reader responses. Then, editors should monitor the comments received and measure the response rates for every post or poll question. The results allow editors to fully recognize and understand what type of content elicits the highest number of responses, as well as the most interesting comments, and with these results, editors can tailor future print issues according to the interests of readers discovered on the social media pages.

One final tip to fully expand editorial content with interactive and engaging social media posts – feature fan stories and quotations in the print publication. Not only will this entice readers to contribute online more frequently, either by posting pictures or contributing personal stories, but also the editors are making their audience feel valued by including them in upcoming issues.

However, with any social media effort, editors must remember it is more important to be relevant than to be present online otherwise not only will their print content suffer, but they will lose new media followers as well. In a recent survey, titled “The Social Breakup”, research proved the top reasons for why social network users stopped liking or following a company on social media sites. Included in the top reasons was the tendency to stop following a brand once content became too boring or too irrelevant.

Relevant, and engaging, content should be a top priority for communicating with social media followers, and while, editors and social media managers may be focused on the simple act of being present in the digital world, they will accomplish little without a solid audience – who want to see interesting and relevant content.

So while editors are scrambling to establish an online presence, they should also be focused on posting content that will elicit feedback. Because not only will this feedback attract a stronger social media following, but it may also be the key to the survival of their print publication. By posting relevant, interesting, and engaging content, editors can expand their print mediums as well, and silence criticism that print is dying. After all, wouldn’t it be nicer if we could forego the “out with the old and in with the new” expression and simply say that we’ll embrace the new to enhance the old.