I am always fascinated when people claim that a certain online channel or medium is better or more effective than another. I take a tool agnostic approach and prefer to only use a tool if it fits the specific role needed to contribute to the integrated campaign, rather than which one is better.

Today I came across two interesting articles that piqued my interest.

An article from Inside Facebook which revealed Worldwide Facebook Mobile Usage Up 300% in Last 12 Months and a study that revealed that More Viewers Watching TV and Web Simultaneously, Study Says.

The common thread is that I have heard frequently from people with the advertising background, that mobile has better conversion than social and that TV still has more attention share than online.

The problem is that these channels are not competing with each other as we have previously thought.

The 19-24 demographic have grown up attached to their cellphones and social media is not going to change that. However what they are doing with their cellphones is changing. Mobile access to social media is probably the biggest evolution I have seen in the last few years. With the shift in accessibility, social media is no longer just a channel for people that spend all day in front of a computer. With the big push from Facebook to become more accessible to cellphone users they are making it easier for Facebook to become a more integrated and richer part of their social interactions, which can be seen in the 300% jump in mobile interactions.

Secondly in regards to TV vs online, I have always thought the comparison was ridiculous. The modern reality is that people do not consume media in silos. In fact with our hyperactive consumption habits I would argue that I would struggle to identify time where I watch TV without either accessing the web via my smartphone or netbook simultaneously.

Communications in the digital age forces us to break down the silos previous enforced.

If you are devising an online strategy don’t look at which are the top 5 of anything but rather look at what your message you want to convey is and be prepared to dip your toes in many buckets.

The medium is not the message, the message is medium.

Photo credit, Travis Isaacs