Social Media As a Tool of Influence on Regional Audience of the Russian Media

Abstract

In the context of competition between the traditional media among themselves and with new media, it is important to improve the methods of influence on the regional audience for the achievement of the goals and survival on media markets of federal entities of the Russian Federation. The study analyzes how effectively traditional media use all the opportunities provided by social networks, and suggests a way to improve media adaptation to new formats of interaction with regional audience. The article analyzes the approaches to the definition and distinctive characteristics of social networks in the social media system, describes the possibilities of social networks in the influence on the audience, identifies the specificity of social media impact on the regional audience in media communities. A content analysis of six media communities was carried out. An analysis of the effectiveness of their impact on the regional audience of the social network was also made. On the basis of the study, a model of effective impact on the regional audience of social networks in media communities is suggested. The model takes into account the content strategy, content list and picturing of posts, interaction with the audience, manipulation, community monetization, visual design and assessment of the community effectiveness. With the help of the proposed model of influence on the regional audience of Russian media, it is possible to improve qualitatively the indicators of the community. It is assumed that the described model will allow establishing friendly relations with the audience and increase the efficiency of achieving the commercial goals of publications through the monetization of the community. The suggested model can be used at the planning stage of creation of a new community, which is suitable for both regional publishing houses and is based on the preferences of the audience of the social network which is identified in the content analysis.