7 Channels Consumers Are Using To Access Digital Information

I’m sure you would agree with me if I said that the way you consume information has drastically changed. We’re not any more concerned about getting the newspaper in the morning (unless you’re on your way to work and don’t have a smartphone). 

Traditional sources of information are now continuously replaced by digital channels. As bloggers, publishers, producers or people working in media, we need to understand how consumers are accessing information in the digital age. How are people accessing the things we write? What is their path and method to get there? How can we make it easier for them to access our information? 

I will discuss some of the most prominent channels that online readers are using to consume content and how to approach them for your benefit.

My Daily Media Consumption [infographic]

I thought I'd share with you my daily media consumption. It is mostly free online media, as you will notice from the infographic I don't consume much offline. I included the media channels I use the most ranging from social to blogs to RSS and email. 

You Are Controlling The Future of Digital Media

Much of the web experience, particularly in the way we consume content, is becoming social and personalized. The public re-use of stories and the ability of consumers to share content online allows for the piece of content to be read by hundreds of other consumers.

Clay Shirky notes that the aggregation of news sources has gone to the consumer side. The decision about what information to receive and bring together into a bundle is now made by the consumer, not the publisher. People now don’t go to the New York Times homepage but they go to the story because someone has tweeted it or put it on Facebook or emailed it. People are now assembled by other consumers, not the news source. 

How Can Old Media Survive In The Digital Space?

Social media has penetrated nearly every aspect of our public and private lives, from the White House providing access to its official photostream to a coffee shop that takes orders via Twitter. Because the digital space allows for social media commentary and easy social sharing of content, making the content more engaging and participatory, media is being created and consumed more than ever before. That is why it is an exciting time for content owners and distributors. With this drastic change in the eco-system, traditional media companies might not be able to stick to their old forms of media. They will have to embrace the new eco system, which I think has got many opportunities for them.  

Five Digital Media Disruptions That Have Knocked Down Traditional Media

Digital media is evolving at a rapid pace. Traditional media is being (to certain extent) replaced by new social tools like Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and many others. Over the past decade, we have witnessed a growing shift in readership and advertising from traditional media (print, radio, and TV) to digital. I have outlined five of the most notable digital media disruptions that reflect the shift from traditional to digital.