Best Practices

Beyond the Printed Newspaper, Part 3 in a 4-part Series

NewspaperDirect

In the previous 2 issues of Beyond the Printed Newspaper, we examined how full-content digital newspaper replicas not only help create a more sustainable living environment for us all, but also, how they help improve the lives of individuals with disabilities, support the work of exchange students and ESL coaches and aid foreign studies researchers.

In part 3 of our 4 part series, we’ll touch on how local, national and international digital newspapers are indispensible tools for job seekers, house hunters, foodies and entertainment enthusiasts.

Classified and career sections for jobs

In this volatile global economy, finding new employment opportunities has become more challenging than ever for experienced individuals and new graduates alike. In a July 2010 survey conducted by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, it was discovered that 32% of working Americans were jobless in the last 30 months.

With stakes higher than they have been in years, it stands to reason that the odds of finding work at home or aboard significantly improve with more resources at hand. Digital, full-content newspapers are invaluable instruments in the job seeker’s toolkit.

With access to the world’s press, employment seekers can peruse the classifieds and business sections of local newspapers to discover current job postings and find out which companies are making headlines in their cities. Or they can search across multiple newspapers and industry-focused publications for the purposes of conducting in-depth industry and market analyses for a planned career move.

House hunters and entertainment goers

We’ve all been there. It’s that moment of realization when we finally decide that it’s time to pack the boxes and make the move. When it comes to finding new apartments, condominiums or houses, newspapers are one of the first places locals look for what’s new, what’s hot and what’s not.

But what if you’re moving to a different city or for that matter, country? Once again, newspapers are the best source of information for people on the move. Newspapers have a strong presence in local markets; in fact, “local” is the unique value proposition for newspapers, which play a critical role in the metropolitan economy.

Digital newspapers let readers get up close and personal with new communities in mere seconds. With just a couple of clicks of the mouse, housing ads are offered up in plain sight. Browsing further within a local digital edition, readers can get a better sense of neighborhoods, crime rates, schools, sports/community centers, entertainment and eating establishments.

At the end of the day, content is still king and when it comes to finding out about what’s going on in cities and municipalities anywhere in the world, digital editions of local newspapers give readers what they need, quickly and easily, as opposed to the millions of irrelevant search results found on the Internet.

Next month, Beyond the Printed Newspaper will take a closer look at how digital editions of newspapers can turn global information to business opportunities by helping companies and consultants discover new sales and partnering opportunities, monitor customers, research competitors and analyze markets.

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