Going social and attracting crowds

The explosion in social media has changed the rules of the game when it comes to how people connect, communicate and interact with each other. From humble beginnings, social media has rapidly spread to encompass most aspects of personal and professional life, in a move that has undoubtedly proved itself to be more than just a media hype.

Publishing houses are exploring this new territory, trying to find fresh, original ways to connect and engage with their readers on the social web. The publishing industry has recognised social media as a new channel of communication which has its own set of rules, and a dizzying variety of entry points, from tweets, blogs and forums, to social networking sites, video and now even virtual pinboards.

Connecting, exchanging, sharing: Just go social!

News publishers are already very active on social networks – looking to reach new audiences and win new reader segments, and to integrate users in their social media offerings in an engaging and original way, fully using their power.

The XMA Awards aim to find news brands that have created successful social media products by being relevant to their audiences and becoming core parts of their communities. You have now the opportunity to enter and the chance to be recognised as a winner of the XMA Cross Media Awards 2012!

Your social media entry ― Share it!

The XMA Cross Media Awards Jury is looking for news publishers that have excelled in delivering content, entertainment and advertising with products and services on diverse social media networks.

The Awards Jury is interested to see how your company has:

• built relationships with your audience
• determined what type of content to offer on different social media platforms
• pushed content through different social media channels
• empowered your audience to help create their own content and products
• fostered customer engagement
• maximised brand recognition
• measured the impact of social media products

Who can enter

Call for entries is now open for all News Publishers who have implemented social media campaigns.

Categories

You may enter your project in one or more (up to 3) of the following categories:

• Best use of Facebook by a newspaper
• Best community engagement - Reader/User interaction: Which newspapers excel at involving their readers in the editorial process and content generation via social media?
• Monetization (advertising and social commerce): Which newspapers capitalize best on their presence on social media platforms?
• Special projects: Best integrated social/traditional media campaigns (entertainment, charities, sports, one-off projects)