It’s almost a cliché at this point to say “the rumors of the death of print have been greatly exaggerated.” Ebook sales growth has plateaued. Publishers and Amazon don’t get along. Magazines and newspapers have adapted to modern technology. You probably know all that. So let’s talk about at least a little bit of the nitty-gritty. WHY isn’t print dead? Well, at least for some in the world of traditional media, it’s because they’ve adapted. In fact, some of the most effective social media marketers today are industry giants from the heyday of print. Here are a few who have thrived on social.
Bookstores
Waterstones Bookstores, a book retailer in the United Kingdom with 275 locations, has mastered tongue-in-cheek Twitter posts. By creating material that is genuinely funny, and aimed square at their target audience, Waterstones has built up a massive following on Twitter — nearly 100,000 people.
Authors
Authors like John Green, John Scalzi, and Joyce Carol Oates have taken their literary talents to social media where they delight, amuse, and inspire their fans with short quips, and direct interaction.
Libraries
“This is What a Librarian Looks Like” is a Tumblr account that aims to crush the stereotype of the stodgy shushing librarian. Librarians show off their tattoos, weightlifting skills, cosplay, and a million other unique aspects of themselves that show how libraries, and librarians, are growing and adapting to modern circumstances.
Publishers
Even publishers, those old bastions of traditional media who sometimes seem permanently set in their ways, have gotten in on the social game. Take a look at Penguin, most famous for their Penguin paperbacks. Penguin has created a comprehensive social presence across multiple platforms. They have a large Facebook and Twitter presence. Penguins social presence is enviable, and helps them continue to excel in a challenging market.
And for tips on marketing to educators using Pinterest, click here.
