Since its inception back in 2003, our Idaho Falls magazine website has undergone at least a couple of redesigns. In the early years, we dabbled in home-cooked community forums, business directories and other standard fare, but as time moved on, we could tell something was amiss. We had this fantastic community magazine, but it always seemed out of step with our fledgling website.
So why the disparity?
My hunch is that like many media outlets, we made the mistake of creating two disparate media products under one umbrella. What we needed to do was create a single product that crossed seamlessly from one media platform to the next. The spur to action turned out to be nothing of our own design, but rather a disruptive technology that has since reshaped the civilized world. Of course, we’re talking here about social media.
If you’re a Facebook junkie, you may have noticed that our magazine has cultivated a substantial following over the past year or so. As much as we love to create an informative and eye-popping print product that celebrates all the awesomeness of our community, we also love the immediacy and practicality of online engagement with our readers. This begged the question of how we could best integrate our online social presence with the content of our print content.
For an emphatic answer to the question, we invite you to check out our all-new
www.idahofallsmagazine.com. It’s part magazine, part Facebook, basted with a touch of Pinterest and topped off with sprinkles of Youtube, Instagram, Twitter and even a hint of Vine. (Yeah, we’re actually into that now.)
Some traditional media outlets don’t take much comfort in the idea of fusing together print and web. I think I understand why.
Up until about 15 years ago, we all experienced publishing and broadcasting as mostly one-way avenues. For editors and writers like myself, the setup provided isolation from our audience. Sometimes that was a comfort. Mostly it was a frustrating headache. In either case, we all knew deep down that a new landscape had emerged. But what to do with it?
Even after the advent of email and text-messaging, most feedback came to us over the course of days and weeks via snail mail and phone calls after an issue hit the mailboxes. Compare that to now, as comment fields can ignite within minutes or even seconds after an original post.
I believe that at its core, a community magazine makes a perfect foundation for a strong community-based website. As much as we love our community calendar in every issue, for example, the online version goes much further in detail and flexibility. Other great benefits include expanded photo essays, video content and links to our community partners and supporting advertisers. Most of all, it provides a constant conduit to the ever-expanding sphere of social media.
Like all online portals, this project is a work in progress. From the very first click, however, we think you’ll agree that it’s unlike anything this community has ever seen. Check out our site and let us know what you think.