Branded Social Networks are next for Gannett, Meredith

Publishers may be all about the content but they are no longer only about the content. Publishing powerhouses Gannett and Meredith have tapped social platform Ripple6 to create branded social sites to go along with their existing publisher sites.

by Kristina Knight

Ripple6's platform creates white-label social platforms for content sites. The branded micro-sites can track user activities and site content along with demographic and psychographic information. This makes it easier for publishers and marketers to better target consumers on the sites. Users, meanwhile, can share photos, videos and content, create profiles and use Ripple6 groups and tools to create their own user-groups within the site.

The Gannett site will house a community-based support system for bands. One promotion will allow fans to tout their favorite independent bands to, hopefully, get the band's songs played on radio. The Meredith site will include content from several Meredith publications related to food/cooking. Described as a "social network for recipe-sharing", it is targeted to women. Several other Meredith sites are being planned to appeal to other demographics and interests.

Branded micro-sites are not new to online marketers but they are becoming more popular. As more users become interested in the social space, these smaller, targeted sites are a good way for marketers to interact with the consumer base. Sharing content and giving consumers a place to get more content along similar interest lines is a way to keep them coming back in the long-term.