Face-to-face contact hasn't gone out of style, but we all know that new tools abound to stay informed.
A new study from the Pew Internet and American Life Project quantifies the trends.
It found that one-fifth of Americans (and 27% of Internet users) used digital tools to understand more about community issues. And 22% of adults (and 28% of Internet users) used either text messaging or email alerts to gain information. Some 11% used blogs to stay up to date on local matters.
Of those signed up for text and email alerts, 13% signed up for school events (closures for weather, for instance), 11% used them for weather warnings, 5% for crime data and 4% for traffic congestion.
The study was conducted late last year involving 2,258 Americans. Its findings are considered accurate within 2.8 points.
In his latest post on Micro Persuasions, Steve Rubel argues that text is king on the Web --- that is, if you don't know how to use it, you fail.
Rubel suggests five principal attributes of the text supremacy: it's scannable, it's search engine optimizing, it's easy to read in a cubicle at work, it's amenable to mobile, and it's easy to distribute.
Rubel says command of the language --- even if in bursts and clips --- is behind the success on the Web. While video is nice, it doesn't have the power, reach and interactivity of text.
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