:: By Kevin Dugan, Social Marketing Director

A few recent news articles continue to show how magazines have tapped into digital as a natural brand extension designed to engage readers in a new way.

AdAge holds the entire magazine industry up as an example of iPad early adopters in the article “Unlike Media Brands, Marketers Slow to Embrace the iPad.” Of course, there are some very logical reasons as to why magazines are blazing a trail that brands may, or may not, follow. Consider how long the iPad has been on the market, a scant four months, and how well the magazine fits into the tablet format.

Even if iPad numbers approach the same critical mass of iPhone, the tablet will not single-handedly save the publishing industry. Loyal readers may be able to stave off its demise however. This in part is one reason why media outlets are embracing Tumblr as a publishing platform. Platforms like Tumblr and Posterous have helped give blogging a second wind. They’re designed to allow users to easily post various forms of content online and generate conversation. Tumblr readers can more easily follow users as well as find and share content.

Magazines like Newsweek and The New Yorker use Tumblr to provide back story to content and generate conversation with readers in a way that might not work as well in Twitter or Facebook. According to The New York Times, when The New Yorker posted a recent Escher-inspired cover depicting the oil-spill, the magazine created a conversation and drew many links from other sites.

From Media and Readers to Brands and Consumers
Brands can apply some of the lessons magazines are learning to enhance their relationships with consumers.

Social Media Rewards Conversation over Broadcasting. Tumblr allows its users to more easily start a conversation around content. In fact, The New York Times article notes that “Unlike Twitter, where it is not uncommon for publishers to simply set up accounts that automatically publish links to their articles and blog posts, Tumblr requires publishers to add more commentary and interaction if they want to win favor with its community.”

If engagement is the goal, social media can help if the brand’s approach fits the platform. An e-Marketer study shows that marketers tweets for example are less engaging than consumers. As brands build out ongoing programs in social media, it’s critical to think of consumers as less of an audience that is broadcast to and more of a community with which to start a conversation.

Choose a Platform to Fit Your Needs vs. Following the Popular Site. While brands, media and consumers hear most about Twitter and Facebook, it’s more important to find the platform that meets your needs. Tumblr for example  is seen as more of a niche blogging platform. But, as The New York Times reports:

“for publishers, [it] reflects a broader shift in their relationship with their audience, said James E. Katz, a professor of communications at Rutgers University. ‘Going back 20 years, publications like Rolling Stone didn’t interact with readers except for letters to the editor,’ Mr. Katz said. ‘One of the realizations that cultural leaders and publishers have had is that there is a lot of expertise, wisdom and ideas in their readership.’ The ability to respond online turns readers into co-creators, he said, which can give them a sense of ownership.”

These two shifts in how and where we can communicate with consumers are helping media find new readers and create loyalty online. Brands are experiencing the same benefits as they also test and learn across different social media platforms.