Fundamental changes have taken place in the way people consume media. Traditional major media platforms like print, TV and radio have evolved to what has been referred to as nonlinear, multi-platform viewing. I have been looking around corners and into emerging spaces using my knowledge and experience to help my clients navigate this convergence culture.  I have been employing transmedia storytelling and distribution strategies to reach the touch points where content is consumed. The story is not a static thing but a woven tapestry that lives across platforms and devices.

The social effect has changed how we interact online and off. It has also evolved how brand is engaged and its effectiveness is measured. Understanding internet strategy in 2009 one must know for example that the 90-9-1 rule (90% view 9% contribute from time to time 1% account for most contributions) is a site based analytical instrument but does not necessarily apply to a population. A greater understanding can be gained through the attention and interactivity of a consumer’s behavior. Forester speaks to this through its Social Technographics which seeks to profile online social behaviors. I would assert that to measure this nonlinear, multi-platform experience one needs to look at all transmedia touch points to garner effective metrics.

It is not merely all about eye balls and traffic but about the development of affinity with a brand. Henry Jenkins in his book Convergence Culture refers to the vigilant viewers of a show who will go to great lengths to solve a puzzle or engage with media. I espouse the what others have called brand ambassadors or evangelists are evolving into a hybrid of the vigilant viewer and brand ambassador where the evangelism is happening at the water cooler, via SMS messages and in the mash ups of media that extend your message. This shift in the cultural dynamic that we as consumers have with our tools, technologies and products is played out across these multiple touch points and the need for good transemedia analytics is paramount to understanding effectiveness.

With that said, understanding internet strategy is not all about numbers and metrics but the creative process as well. To provide the audience with a story worth hearing, be that humorous, dramatic or curious in nature the desired effect is to engage the consumer and get them to interact. It is the artisans ability to mix the binary analytical mindset with the myriad of creative ideas into an effective experience.