Every year I use my frequent flier miles to sign up for new magazines. In February while browsing the list, I randomly checked off Fast Company after a year of reading their website of the same name. Fast Company is predominantly a technology magazine with a focus on social media, design and entrepreneurship. Or, in the words of my husband, “It’s a magazine for young Internet types.” Bloggers, I’m looking at you!
They write about everything from the profitability of comic book franchises to the rise of Pinterest to the Russian version of Amazon. Infographics accompany many of the articles, making them easy to follow. Many times when I come across infographics, they seem almost pointless with information thrown together, but Fast Company compiles information a way that’s not only relatable but useful as well. Consider some of these facts from “The 36 Rules of Social Media,” (Fast Company, September 2012):
- Update your page or delete it.
- Pinterest works.
- Don’t use ads to prop up boring content. Use ads to accelerate successful content.
- Think past vanity metrics like followers.
- Contests and sweepstakes are fine if you want to encourage short relationships.
After reading this, I decided to revive my somewhat neglected Pinterest, and within a few days, I had a handful of new followers! Even if you don’t use Pinterest, the lessons in Fast Company can be applied to nearly any online platform with the bottom line being: Love it or leave it.
Content aside, I learned something else from Fast Company: To branch out when it comes to magazines and subscribe to publications that cover topics I don’t immediately find interesting. Though technology is not only a personal interest but my job, I never considered subscribing to a magazine that covered these topics. The same can go for any dormant interest like hiking (Backpacker Magazine), knitting (Creative Knitting Magazine) and current political events (Time).
Have you ever stepped outside your magazine comfort zone? What did you learn? Share your thoughts!
I’ve been reading Fast Company for a long time, I “discovered” it when I was trying to step out of my “magazine comfort zone” too. I wanted something that catered to my creative side while giving some valuable business information. I really look forward to reading it every month as a sort of alternative to my endless fashion mags.
Jenny recently talked about My Five – Altuzarra Spring 2013
Exactly! It’s a nice break from all the fashion mags I take in every month–almost like a breath of fresh air. I love how they talk about business and marketing in a way that’s relatable. I never feel intimidated by Fast Company.