Did you hear about that car accident on Capitol Hill? What about the construction mess at the intersection of Pike and Pine? The new bakery that just opened around the corner? It’s not likely you’ll hear about what’s going on in your own neighborhood from your local newspaper, favorite TV news channel or radio station. However, more and more people are turning to hyperlocal networks to get dialed into what’s happening in their immediate surroundings. In fact, a recent Pew Research study indicates that 20 percent of all adults (27 percent of all Internet users) use digital tools including Twitter, hyperlocal networks and text to keep informed about community issues such as weather, crime, traffic or events.
A hyperlocal network is defined as something that connects people locally and could include blogs, Twitter, Facebook, etc. With the recent rise in social media, neighborhood organizations and community members are turning to these outlets to receive information about activities, events and news impacting their community. The Pew Research study found nearly one in 10 social network users joined an online group focused on community issues in the past 12 months. As communities continue to turn to the online world, so too are companies and organizations looking to reach local audiences.
The increasing popularity of social media coupled with the shifting media landscape and cities spreading further and further out of metro areas, is making it a challenge for local media to produce quality journalism about all the communities a particular city serves. This is where hyperlocal networks can become a powerful medium for bridging the gap. For example, in Seattle we have a number of hyperlocal networks such as Queen Anne View, Fremont Universe and BallardBlog that cover specific neighborhoods. Many residents (and even mainstream local media) are turning to these networks to gather and share relevant information that they simply can’t get from mainstream news sources.
Consider this, A la Mode Pies a new online pie company based in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle recently opened. While mainstream local media were interested in the news, they simply didn’t have the resources to cover the company. However, CHS Capitol Hill Blog, a hyperlocal neighborhood blog, was very interested in the story as there was an onslaught of pie companies opening in the neighborhood causing one to wonder if Capitol Hill was becoming a battleground for Seattle’s pie fans. As a result of the piece in the CHS Capitol Hill Blog, business nearly tripled for this pie company as neighbors wanted to support the new business.
From a PR perspective, the rise of hyperlocal networks is also impacting PR professionals who are looking for the most effective mediums to reach target audiences. Hyperlocal journalists and bloggers are an emerging category of influential media and a group that should not be ignored. In addition to building and fostering relationships with traditional local media, PR professionals should consider developing relationships with hyperlocal bloggers as part of their media relations program.