I’ve come across many social media enthusiasts who believe that the new media will spell doomsday for old media. I, for one, beg to differ. As much as I love social media for the innovation and flexibility that it offers, I’m also a huge fanboy of conventional old media techniques. I’ve always maintained that social media is NOT a replacement for old media.

Social media and old media go hand in hand. They are meant to compliment each other and not to replace each other. Critics may argue that there’s a lot to learn from social media and old media now has a bleak future. On the contrary, I believe that social media is passively promoting the cause of old media. As a savior, social media is saving old media from dying down its natural death.

Social Media Augments Old Media

Let’s face it – old media is irreplaceable. For example, consider a business that wants to launch a press release about its latest innovative product. While social media offers some fantastic ways of promoting the press release on the internet, it cannot replace the old school way of issuing press releases.

Social media has transformed the way PR agencies operate in today’s modern age of Web 2.0. Communication happens at lightning speeds over the internet and offers an unparallel reach to massive audiences. You create a press release, publish it online and then spread the word about it through leading social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook.

While old media had a limited audience, social media has taken it to an altogether unprecedented reach.

More Platforms = More Readers

Social media is a ubiquitous experience. It is not limited to just computers and can be accessed using several other means such as mobile phones, Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) and IP TV. While old media was largely limited to print media, social media opens up new avenues by offering unconventional modes of communication.

The easier it is for people to access the information, the more the readership – as simple as that!

Two-way Communication

While old media was by and large one way traffic, social media adds a new dimension to it by allowing the customers to engage in meaningful conversations with your business. People just love to talk back and old media offered limited opportunities to do so. With social media joining the fry, customers have a great opportunity to speak their minds and provide feedback to businesses.

Social media therefore avoids the one-way traffic approach of old media and leads to numerous untapped opportunities.

Self-sustainable Media

Critics often point out that cost is a major deterrent when it comes to old media. It is simply not self-sustainable. On the contrary, most social media services come at the best possible price – Free! Therefore, social media offsets the cost factor associated with conventional media techniques and helps create a self-sustainable hybrid model of advertising that leads to best of both worlds.

Social media is NOT meant to replace old media. Rather, it’s a savior and promoter to the noble cause of preserving the time tested old media techniques. As a business organization, you should concentrate on getting the maximum benefits out of the lethal combo of old media and social media.

What do you think about it? Please share your thoughts by leaving a comment here.