MELVILLE, N.Y., November 16, 2011—"The successful use of new media hinges on the understanding that content is no longer delivered to, but hunted by consumers,” said Brendan Stanton, former Suffolk County Executive Assistant for New Media and Communications, before a luncheon meeting of the Long Island chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators at the Hilton Long Island / Huntington Hotel.

"Beyond the obvious speed advantage provided by new media, communicators have more control than ever over their business or personal brand, and simultaneously that brand is at even greater risk,” he said in his talk, "Turning New Media into Traditional Media Coverage.” 

Mr. Stanton went on to note that "it is very important to review what new media applications work for your business model and to develop a controlled presence within those media. Otherwise your competitors may beat you to it, or you will simply lose out on the opportunity to engage interested consumers you didn’t know were there.”

In his talk, Mr.Stanton went over how to use YouTube to garner coverage on the evening news, why it is so important to ‘get in the game’ on Twitter, what Picasa "can do for your online search results, and how to start your own Blog, become your own publisher, and the collective impact these actions will have on your Google rankings, more commonly referred to as Search Engine Optimization (SEO).”

However, he emphasized, communicators must regularly choose from among the various systems to achieve the coverage goals they are seeking, and that not every new media tool achieves every goal, anymore than a press release meets every need.

 "In addition,” said Ann Middleman, chapter president, and principal of ADM Marketing & Research Consulting, "the immediacy of information on social media sites has significantly changed the approach many local news outlets use to gather story leads and develop coverage. This environment underscores the need for professionals to understand the most effective ways to reach each strategic audience.”  

The luncheon was sponsored by St. Joseph’s College in Patchogue. Dedicated to providing a diverse population of students in the New York metropolitan area with an affordable, high-quality, value-oriented education rooted in the liberal arts tradition that supports provision for career preparation and enhancement since 1916, St. Joseph’s College offers the lowest tuition on Long Island for a private institution and one of the lowest in the entire metropolitan area.

Mr. Stanton spoke to the IABC-LI in his role as the former Suffolk County Executive Assistant for New Media and Communications.  There, his primary role was to coordinate with the Executive and Communications team on how best to establish Suffolk County’s online presence, and in what ways new media could effectively communicate policy matters to the press and public. 

Mr. Stanton recently joined Meltzer, Lippe, Goldstein & Breitstone, LLP, Long Island’s business law firm, where he serves as chief communications officer.  Meltzer, Lippe, Goldstein & Breitstone, LLP is a cutting edge law firm combining the best features of small firms with top level talent from major metropolitan law firms and functions in a full range of practice areas.