News analysis: How Manchester media is reacting to new social business models
As social media useage by companies continues to grow, with platforms learning to monetize their offer, Twitter seems to be left in the cold, but media companies in Manchester are beginning to build up hyperlocal traffic, which could lead to new business models being developed.
With Foursquare and Facebook Places keeping our friends close and Google promising to focus locally in 2011, where does that leave Twitter? The micro-blogging platform has yet to successfully monetize its services, despite proving its prowess as the king of breaking news. In Manchester, media publications are using social media to build hyperlocal traffic made up of engaged readers.
Earlier this week, BBC Radio Manchester held a takeover day, giving members of the public the chance to take to the airwaves for one hour. The BBC used its Twitter account and Facebook Page to drum up awareness and auditioned over 300 people. Jo Waters, head of communications for the BBC said Tweets were a key factor in the recruitment process, admitting: “social media has become something we couldn’t do without – it’s become as important as sending out a press release”. It’s also become an integral part of Manchester Evening News’ digital output, with reporters using personal Twitter accounts to follow up stories and report live from local events.
Similarly, Nigel Barlow from hyperlocal news website InsidetheM60 admitted that Twitter had become a vital part of the sites growth since its launch in April last year and said that it would continue to serve as a way of unearthing stories and engaging with readers.
But can media publications develop a business model that fully plugs into social media’s rich ‘local’ potential? Martin Bryant, European editor of Tech blog The Next Web and co-founder of the cities Social Media Café thinks so, predicting that Facebook and Twitter are likely to make big strides into local markets in 2011. He also praised Manchester media for their adoption of social media, adding: “it’s been good to see publications live-tweeting from major local events, as it's likely that real-time online feeds will increasingly become an important method of news consumption”.
Twitter, it's over to you.